One of the Legends
by Archangel507
Summary: Post-BOTW. "Nobody is asking you to rebuild Hyrule. Not a single. damn. person. So you want my advice? Let's just sit back and enjoy life for a bit. What's the worst that could happen?" Link was thankful his friends were with him. As fate seemed to have a sense of irony, or just didn't like being mocked, because their attempt at living quietly began to unravel. Legends don't wait.
1. 1-1: Awakening

**oXo**

* * *

**The Legend of Zelda: Routine Remastered  
****One Of The Legends**

**Act I: Aftermath  
****  
Chapter I:  
****"Awakening"**

It was like a dream.

Maybe it was. After all, what good had the world brought unto her since her destiny was laid out? Being judged inferior to the legacy she was to uphold? Looked down upon by those who held her to a high standard that she tried so desperately to reach, and when she had it was far too late? All of her friends and family dead. And she was to blame?

No, it wasn't a easy life for Princess Zelda, though there would without doubt be those who disagree.

But...seeing the monstrosity that brought all this upon them finally struck down at the hands of her hero, and sealed away courtesy of her own power. It brought a warm smile to her face. A feeling of relief and peace, like the weight of the world had been taken off her shoulders. Zelda thought nothing of it as the bloody red skies faded away along with Ganon's essence. Her own divine powers ceased from their century-long use that kept Ganon at bay. The fatigue hit her swiftly, but she kept on her feet the best she could. She had to something to say, after all.

"I've been keeping watch over you all this time..." She said, addressing her appointed knight, her back to him. "I've witnessed your struggles to return to us," Light footsteps and crunches of the dry grass came from behind as her Knight stepped closer. "as well as your trials in battle." The footsteps stopped just behind her. Her golden hair whipped in the wind as she continued. "I always thought...no, I always believed that you would find a way to defeat Ganon."

She began to turn. "I never lost faith in you over these many years..."

She faced him for the first time in 100 years, to find that he hadn't seemed to have changed at all. His once shining sapphire eyes, the first thing she looked to, peered out from beneath the dark blue hylian hood. Bright with spirited light, with clear signs of relief to her safety, but with a haunted and weary edge to them. His champion's tunic had several marks and scuffs on it, the blue coloring glowed in the twilight of the setting sun. A dark red splotch of crimson stained the left side of his abdomen, which he clutched gingerly, though his calm eyes betrayed his pain. The Master Sword rested in it's sheath, it's brilliant blue glow that dealt the mortal blows to Ganon had faded when he had perished.

In his right hand was the Bow of Light she had bestowed upon him to defeat Ganon's dark beast form, in his left was a scorched Hylian Shield, obviously scavenged from the bowels of the Castle and used extensively during the final battle. Yet it still held strong, not even the might of Ganon could shatter it's steeled defense.

"Thank you, Link..." Her hands folded together, she smiled to him. "...the hero of Hyrule."

His face didn't change expression, looking to her with gentle eyes but stoic demeanor as he let out soft gasps as his hold on his wound tightened.

"May I ask...Do you really remember me?"

She never got an answer, because unconsciousness came to claim her before another word could be uttered by either. Perhaps it was for the best, Zelda thought as she began to crumple, because she found herself fearing what his response would be. But she noticed something before darkness forcefully embraced her...

Link was not the one to catch her.

The Hero in question had taken a knee as his exhaustion came along too, the pain in his chest ebbing to a dull ache as his bleeding side began to ease.

"Is she...okay?"

"Hmm...Yeah, she'll be fine. Just tired by the looks of it." His cloaked companion's gaze flickered to him. "The same could be said for you, y'know."

"Yeah...I'm...I..._hah_...think I'm gonna take a breather." Link all but flopped down, head hanging low as his world began to swim with inky blackness. "Can...you...get us home please, Arthur?"

"Yeah, don't worry about it. Get some rest, son."

Link wanted to laugh at that slip, but he cut him some slack and simply nodded instead, a sigh of relief depressing his chest as he followed the Princess to blissful rest.

She was okay, that was all that mattered.

* * *

**[Meanwhile...]**

"Who's there!?"

The howling winds of the blizzard had rendered him virtually blind, but he could still make out the approaching figures. He held up his lantern further just to be sure, catching mere glimpses at their coats and masks.

"It's us!"

"Any idiot can come and say '_it's us_'! Doesn't mean I recognize them!"

"Fine, it's Ar-Janek Cypha!"

"About time you showed up! C'mon, get inside! The storm's only gonna get worse!" Silas had to stop from rolling his eyes, holding the lantern low as his best friend's group trudged through the knee-deep snow past him and into their cave shelter. "How'd you get on, old friend?"

"Not too good, this migration is costing us...too many wolves and other cursed beasts out here. Food and medicine in danger of running low." Janek grumbled, tugging on their fur cloak. The light of the lantern glinting off their mask, the red of the upside-down eye catching the light moreso. "A pack beset upon us as we were passing Lake Kilsie, we drove 'em off but...Chie and a few other wounded didn't make it, blood loss or frostbite."

Silas felt his jaw clench. "Chikara and Yukie?"

"Don't know. They were with Strun's group, split up with them when we entered Hebra." They turned back. "Probably got lost in this blizzard. So don't think we have to break the ice to them just yet."

"_Break the ice_? Really?"

"Oh, come on. That was accidental! Besides, I'm too pissed about our situation to joke right now. Having to squat in some ice cave in the ass-end of Hebra in the middle of a goddess-damn blizzard!" His friend griped. "I've been meaning to ask you about that by the way, do we even have a plan on getting out of this? With Kohga dead and the majority of our force lying disemboweled in a ditch somewhere because they decided revenge was a luxury we'd be willing to die for, we don't have many options, Sheikke!"

"I know, Cypha." Silas chewed on the inside of his cheek. "For now...I think we need to find a way past the gales, see if we can return to Sebastos."

"Sebastos? You think it's still standing? You think they'll let us come home?"

"Maybe, maybe not." He shook his head. "Sebastos was the only sheikah settlement outside of Kakariko, when the Yiga took it over, we had stamped out unrest thoroughly...or so they told us."

"And what if the Sheikah took it back somehow? Or they no longer hold to our ideals?" Janek tested.

"Then we'll figure something out. All I know is our force in Hyrule is a lost cause, if the Hero and his merry crew want to go against the Calamity? I say let 'em." Silas sniffed. "_Ah_...C'mon, let's head inside, it's cold out here."

* * *

When Zelda woke up, she was in the last place she expected to be. Lying on the ground? Sure. Cradled in Link's arms? Acceptable. But tucked into a nice, comfy bed with the fading light of dusk in her face? Not so much. While she felt her back go rigid in alarm as her green eyes observed the room, easing when she saw she was in a rather comfortable looking house.

Was she dreaming? Had she not just been in Hyrule Field with Link on the eve of their victory? How did she get here?

Questions, questions, questions, yet no answers in sight.

Rather than lie around, she attempted to sit up. Groaning as her body promptly protested the sudden movement, shuffling back so she was sitting upright against the headrest. She squinted as the sunlight from window hit her full force, though not as painful as it would be if it were the light of noon. Continuing to observe the room, she immediately noticed she was in the loft of the house, sitting in one of four beds. Two were empty, but the one at her side was not. The covers were distorted, the person sleeping under them facing away from her.

But the familiar blonde hair was all she needed to identify them.

"L-Link..?" She forced, surprised to find her throat so dry. "H-hey...Link..."

"Princess?"

While her hero remained fast asleep, another voice had answered her. Zelda's gaze turned forward as someone hurried up the stairs to where they were. She felt rather nervous of whomever this person was, but eased considerably when she met the eyes of a young female Zora. Her red hue and attire, plus those shimmering amber eyes screamed familiarity in the drowsy royal's mind.

"M...Mipha? How..." Her eyes widened, though her questions were quickly silenced.

"You're awake...Thank goodness." The Zora champion walked closer to Zelda, eyes radiating relief and concern as she looked her up and down. "Hm...Excuse me, can you please stay still for a moment?"

"O-of course..." Zelda frowned.

The Zora studied her closely, poking and prodding, occasionally asking if she was feeling any pain. She denied it, though she was still very much tired.

"I see...So exhaustion is the primary issue, that can be easily remedied." Mipha smiled. "Though I am thankful you are awake, though you were thankfully not worse for wear-"

"Mipha."

The alien voice startled her, but only caused Mipha to turn back to the person who certainly wasn't standing there watching them seconds ago. They wore a black cloak, covering their entire body and leaving only a bit of their face visible, and even that was shrouded in shadow as to not reveal much. To put it lightly, this newcomer unnerved the already on-edge Princess, especially when she caught sight of a glowing red eye glaring at her under their hood. Alarm bells went off in her head, while Mipha seemed unperturbed.

"Yes, Arthur?"

"Go get her something eat, will you? I need to speak to her." His eye flashed. "Explain some things and all that."

Zelda shrunk back under his gaze, while Mipha nodded. "Of course."

She desperately tried to protest as she headed off down the stairs, but was silenced when this "Arthur" stepped closer and to the foot of her bed. In the window's light, she could make out tan skin and a sharp nose, and single blue eye in contrast to the red one. He seemed to study her for a moment or two, before nodding.

"You seem well enough, now get up." He motioned for her to stand.

"I'm s-sorry?"

"I said get up, we're going for a little walk you and me." His left hand emerged from his cloak, bearing a worn gauntlet that looked like it was once made of gold and fingerless gloves. "Come on."

"I...I...uh...don't under-"

"Oh, I think I made myself quite clear, _princess_." Without missing a beat, he snatched her hand forcefully and brought his hooded face dangerously close to her's. His voice held an undertone of venom that made her shiver unconsciously. "Now, I pride myself in reading other people's faces, and I can see that you are very, very perplexed. Probably wondering where you are and why the Zora Princess you swear died a century ago is very much alive. So, I'm gonna give you the benefit of the doubt and explain some things to you, got it?"

She nodded, so he backed away.

"Good, now get up."

To his credit, he still helped her stand properly. Zelda had to fight a sudden sensation of vertigo, but stayed standing for a few moments before nodding that she was fine. He led her towards the stairs, passing by a cluttered desk shoved against the wall. A large portrait hanging above it caught her eye, forcing her to pause and stare at it. It was a photo of her and the champions. She could recall when they took it, right after they had accepted their roles from her father. They were in the pavilion at the Castle, and Purah was there and helped take it. It was such a vivid memory...

"Hey, I didn't help you up so you could reminisce." Arthur's voice snapped her out of her thoughts. "Get moving, _now_."

"Okay..." His tone of voice made him sound incredibly stern, like a father scolding their child. He certainly could be scary, however.

They descended the stairs and onto the ground floor, which seemed to function as a kitchen and dining room. A stove and a bunch of counters were crammed into the far corner, which was where Mipha had gone to. In the middle of the room stood a dining table, with five chairs in total. On the walls were weapon mounts, similar to the ones that adorned the halls of Hyrule Castle. Though these held no weapons, shields or otherwise at all.

Arthur opened the front door, holding it open with one arm for her. With that in mind, she could see the size difference between them. While she could graze the top of the doorframe with her fingertips, the same could only be said for the top of his head. He certainly wasn't towering like most adults.

She stepped outside, eyes taking a moment to adjust as she took in the surrounding landscape. She recognized Mount Lanayru to the north-east and the river valley to the west. Plus, she could see buildings directly ahead. So she was in Hateno Village, that made sense somewhat. Though she wished it had been Kakariko, to see Impa again would have been a delight, but alas, it would have to be at a later time.

Arthur closed the door behind them and motioned for her to follow him, walking along the path and across the bridge to town. Zelda followed him, less nervous now that she had her bearings though her curiosity was beginning to overtake the majority of her concern. To her surprise, they didn't continue towards town. Rather, Arthur made a quick turn to a path leading down the hill and to the small river/pond beneath the bridge.

As they reached the bottom, they came to pass an odd statue situated in the shadow of the hill. It was badly damaged, one of the horn-like adornments on it's face broken. It had severe scorch-marks on it and seemed like someone had planted a sword into it, almost splitting the whole thing in two. Whatever the case, Arthur had not even spared a glance towards the thing so she left it's mystery be...for now, that is.

They came to rest at side of the water, the waning sun's light reflecting off the surface. Arthur, without so much as a word, sat down at the water's edge. After a second, he beckoned for her to take a seat too. She did so, quite focused on the man before her. There was a few more moments of silence, before eventually he gave a great sigh.

"So you don't recall a thing, huh?"

She blinked. "Like what?"

"Shit." Arthur cursed, tugging down on the part of his cloak covering his mouth. He was biting his lip, showing sharp canine-like teeth. "Okay, this might be a bit for you to take in, then. But what the hell, I've got nothing to lose."

"Beg pardon?"

"Forget it." He turned to face her, the twilight illuminating his sharp features. "What memories do you have of your time fighting Ganon? What could you see of Link's journey? Anything at all?"

Zelda frowned, racking her mind for such memories. In truth, it was awfully foggy. She had dedicated so much of her power to holding the Calamity back, that if she took a moment to indulge in a little clairvoyance, it would risk everything. She had to keep focused, or jeopardize everything. She could send some encouraging words, but to actually gaze upon her hero's progress was incredibly taxing on her already over-stressed power.

"I see." Arthur nodded when she explained this. "So you do not know that he was not the only one put into the Shrine of Resurrection?"

"He wasn't?" Her eyebrows shot to her hairline. "Who...so...Mipha?"

"Not just her, it was all the champions." Arthur held his chin in thought. "Hm...I believe it was something to do with the Divine Beasts having some sort of built in S.O.S. signal. Whatever the case was, when they went to the Shrine to put Link on ice, there wasn't just one pod in there anymore."

"...So...Mipha, Urbosa..?" Arthur nodded, her eyes widened further. "Daruk and Revali too!?"

"They're all alive, yes."

Zelda had to stop herself from fainting, falling back onto her hand with her other over her heart. A warmth bloomed in her chest, sheer joy that no other feeling could hope to match. Whether it was relief or happiness, or a combination of the two, she was entirely elated by this revelation. So much so, she had to take a moment to compose herself. "Is this real? Or is this just a dream I never want to wake from?"

"I'll tell you from experience, dreams are never this nice." She could see a smile creased his lips. "Though I must tell you, the novelty will eventually wear out. I'm the one who found them all and got them to _not_ kill each other...Well, Revali at least. You'd be surprised at the assumptions a Rito can come up with when they wake up together with four strangers in the nude and without memory." He gave a groan at the memory. "Honestly, whoever thought that wiping someone's memory was a good idea needs to be smacked upside the head...or have their memory wiped too, for extra irony."

"Well, I must thank you for suffering them." Zelda smiled. "Ah...they're all alive...this changes everything." She then perked up and turned her head back to him. "Oh! I almost forgot to ask about _you_. I know your name is Arthur, which sounds foreign enough, but who are you exactly? You seem somewhat familiar."

"An adventurer, a _hero_...if you will." She frowned when he scoffed at the latter term. "I'm from Ordona, though I haven't been there in many years. There's a barrier of harsh gales and winds surrounding Hyrule, prevent any and all passage. It's been that way since the Calamity."

"I see...Well, thank you...Wait..." Zelda gave him a bewildered look. "You said you're from Ordona...but that Hyrule is cut off from everyone...How did you get get here?"

"Ah...so you caught that. Good. Thought I'd have to spell it out for you." Arthur chuckled, looking up to the faint twilight. His hand reaching for his hood. "_Hm_...You and your predecessors have always been too inquisitive for your own good..."

"My...predecessors? What are-"

"Tell me something..."

"Huh?"

His hood fell back to reveal dirty-blonde hair and a shockingly familiar face. Zelda had to blink twice to make sure she wasn't seeing things, because she swore that Link was still in bed and not sitting before her right now. Yet here he was, staring at the sky wistfully, visible sapphire eye gleaming before he turned to her, revealing his right eye that glowed crimson and odd azure markings tracing down his right cheek.

"Do you ever feel a strange sadness as dusk falls?"

* * *

"Ar-Strun's group is here!"

Silas looked up from the fire he and several other Yiga had huddled around for warmth. "You're sure?"

"Yes! And they have news!" Cypha rushed over. "They said the gales around Hyrule have vanished!"

"What?" Silas stood up, alarmed. "How!?"

"Because the Hero killed Calamity Ganon." The bulky blade-master entered the ice cave. Strun was one of the few in line to become Master after Kohga bit it, though he declined the responsibility, reasons unknown. "Him and the lost Princess both."

"She's alive too?" Silas frowned. "So our problems have only worsened."

"Yes, I think we should go forward with your plan to move back to Sebastos and inform them of the goings-on over the past century."

"Wait, so we're just giving up?" Someone asked.

"It's not a matter of giving up or not, we're outmatched. Plain and simple. The Hero, the Champions, the Princess, and the Wolf." Strun looked directly at Silas, nodding. "Ar-Silas is correct in wanting us to flee back to Sebastos to regroup and come back from this catastrophe."

Silas nodded back. "Yes...exactly, so we need to move as soon as this storm is up. Or else we'll all freeze to death up here."

"My group has extra food and supplies, so that shouldn't be a issue." Strun turned to face everyone. "Do not fret, my friends. We will come back stronger...and the Hero and Princess shall pay. I promise you that."

While that certainly cheered the majority up, Silas only sat back down, a deep frown hidden behind his mask.

Without a word, he and Cypha exchanged glances and nods.

"Yeah...they'll pay..."

* * *

**A/N:**

**Why hello there, everyone!  
I'm glad you took the time to read this little story and hope you'll stick around for more.  
The announcement of BOTW's sequel spurred me to try and commit to writing again, even  
though I've graduated and will probably have less free-time.  
I still plan on giving it my all, and then some.**

**As some of you may already know, this is a remaster of my old story: Routine.  
I plan on it being far more grounded and less...eccentric than the last one, while still retaining  
the charm of the original...if it had any, that is. Already, this one has taken a drastic turn  
from the original in terms of plot, which is exactly what I was looking for.  
For those returning, you can probably already recognize a few of the Yiga characters  
whom I introduced in Routine, but never elaborated upon.  
They'll get their chance to shine, don't worry.  
**

**Anyway, thank you for reading and I hope you enjoy what is to come.**

**Oh, and in case you were wondering about the title, remember the opening of Wind Waker?**

**"****This is but _one of the legends_ of which the ****people speak…"**

**Peace out!**

* * *

**Next Chapter Preview:**

"I wasn't that bad!" Revali squawked indignantly, the unwilling subject of an orphaned punchline.

"You were pretty bad." Arthur confirmed, getting a few sage nods from the group.

"Tragic." Urbosa agreed.

"Sorry." Daruk shrugged.

"You were a little..." Mipha looked away awkwardly.

"But I never-!"

"You nearly fell off a cliff despite being able to fly and read a map _upside-down _for _three days_." The dirty-blonde grinned. "If you think we're _ever_ gonna let you live that down, you are in for a nasty surprise, feathers."

The Rito just glared in response, arms crossed and grumbling.

**oXo**


	2. 1-2: Bonds

**oXo**

* * *

**The Legend of Zelda: Routine Remastered**  
**One of the Legends**

**Act I: Aftermath**

**Chapter II:**  
**"Bonds"**

Fifteen-Thousand Years.

Somehow, that number only made him want to laugh. The sheer absurdity of the time that had passed since he'd last walked the earth. The phrase "beating a dead horse" came to mind, with himself as the horse, albeit worn down to the bone. Being revived in such a way, by technology rather than magic, it took him quite some time to adjust, though he was not without assistance. Still, it was a hard struggle to define just who he was, a stranger in an unknown time.

Link - Twilight.

Two names, both belonging to him, yet meaning so very different things. He found that his sword had more definition, that it could speak the exact words he could never convey. But then he would remember the Shade and his advice to him. To never let his weapon guide him, but his heart instead; strength and compassion, nowadays, it was just too tedious to separate them and decide what is best. Besides, both could reach the heart just fine with the right amount of force.

From the days of living on a ranch, picking up his sword in defense of his friends and family, then alternating between that and a cause he barely believed in, to a drastically different land where the only kin he had were his descendants by several millennia. It confusing as to what exactly drove him to wake up and continue living in this world, if he could even sleep that is. For now, he had relegated himself to a far simpler life like the one he lived. With no politics and hidden agendas, forces suppressing both love and life, things he cherished so much. The life of the Hero of Twilight, Link.

Now, he was Arthur; The Dark Swordsman, the Green Wolf.

Titles, mind you, not chosen by himself. But earned by those who witnessed him in battle, watching in awe when he tore through monsters like a savage or struck down a Yiga assassin with the precision of a Master Swordsman. Even that silly "Rumor Mill" book had picked up a few stories and tall-tales about himself, grossly over-exaggerated to entice every gullible reader in Hyrule.

Yet...

His eyes, mismatched sapphire and crimson, rested on the young girl sitting by him at the water's edge. Her golden hair was strange to him, not as recognizable as the brunette locks he recalled. But her eyes and face, the careful consideration, the compassion. It was uncanny, familiar, hauntingly so. Of course, the Princess he had known was an experienced monarch when he had met her, being crowned Queen shortly after he had succeeded in his quest. The child before him was not as experienced, and probably would never be. All who could teach her were gone, and he knew her interests didn't align with the building and stability of a kingdom.

So what should he tell her? That she would never amount to those who came before her? That she should give up on restoring her Kingdom? Her home?

Dilemmas of the moral variety always annoyed him.

He resolved to put it as plainly as possible.

"I can already see that your mind is set towards rebuilding the kingdom and where to start. But I'm going to have to stop you from getting ahead of yourself, so listen..." Her brow furrowed in response. "Nobody is asking you to rebuild Hyrule. Not a single. damn. person. So you want my advice? Let's just sit back and enjoy life for a bit. What's the worst that could happen?"

"Sit back and...what? I can't just-!"

"Yes, you can. Who the hell is here to tell you otherwise?"

"I...huh..." She looked at the ground, the gears visibly turning in her head.

"I'm gonna be blunt with you." He continued, standing up. "Building a kingdom takes far more than a few people living in the husk of a fallen one. There are things you must learn before you can ever hope to begin. How to manage your people, where the food comes from, what to build, who is to help and advise you on certain things. People who you can _trust_. We have none of that."

She gave him a look. "So I'm supposed to give up on ever restoring Hyrule?"

"No, that's-" He groaned, pinching the bridge of his nose. "No, that is _not_ what I said. Please refrain from being so damn difficult, I've enough of that for a single lifetime." He counted to five before continuing. "I'm saying not to restore it _yet_. We are unprepared, woefully so. If we even attempted it now...well...it isn't going to last long."

"So what do you propose that we do?"

"Like I said, let's just take it one step at a time." He held out a hand to help her up, which she reluctantly accepted. "For now, I recommend you head back, catch up with your friends, then get some sleep."

"Right...my friends..." She seemed conflicted, despite her earlier enthusiasm. "What would I say to them..?"

"Well, they're certainly different from the champions you knew, but they're the same people at heart." He mused. "Just talk to them, that's all there is to it. You'll probably find it far less difficult than your mind is making it out to be."

"Of course, I..." She sighed and bowed her head. "Thank you, Link, for everything..."

For a moment, his vision blurred and he saw locks of gold turn to shady brunette, youthful features sharpen to that of a mature woman. He saw the owner of the black cloak he wore to hide himself from this world, the monarch who he fought alongside so many times, the woman who he'd almost fallen for.

The Princess to whom he owned an immeasurable debt, one he'd failed to pay in his previous life.

"Call me Arthur, darling." He chuckled, waving her praise off nonchalantly. He sat back down by the water. "Now get outta here, I'm gonna stay here for a minute before heading back up, enjoy the Twilight and all that."

"Alright...Arthur."

The way she said it suggested she found it odd, which he agreed it was. He watched her retreating back climb the steep hill and cross the overhead bridge, before his gaze rested back upon the water, small waves gently lapping at his boots. The fading light made the pond shine almost gold. Arthur cocked his head to the side, single sapphire eye watching the final traces of twilight.

He paid no mind to his shadow, which subtly shifted and morphed. He was so far used to it that he didn't blink when it took the form of a slender woman. He did smile, however, when mischievous laughter met his ears and he found himself laughing in kind. It felt good to laugh wholeheartedly, not the hollow chuckles and chortles he'd offered to everyone else barring his descendant.

"Too much?" He smiled at his dearest friend.

Midna grinned back. "Just a little."

* * *

**[Meanwhile...]**

"So you're leaving?"

Silas felt his jaw clench, hands frozen in the act of packing supplies for himself. Steadily, he turned around and met Janek's cross stare. They were both unmasked, nothing of their duties standing between them at this moment. He swallowed thickly, head dropping low as he averted his gaze. "Yes..."

"I was hoping you'd give me some fair warning first, hm?"

"Sorry...but...this is it, y'know. This whole thing is over."

His dearest friend's expression didn't twitch, arms crossed. "...Is it now?"

He nodded, looking back to his bag. "We've both had the time to think and...well, aside from wanting nobody else to die, we know that, maybe, we're not the good guys in this situation. Never have been."

"Right..."

His red eyes narrowed, staring down at the mask lying on the ground next to his bag, the inverted sheikah eye glaring back. "The Hero...Link, he kills the Calamity and saves the Princess, just like one of those legends. He focused all his effort into freeing Her and Hyrule from their century-long isolation, Janek, and then he went home. Surely, we're not so obsessed and blinded by faith to see that all his grievances against of us have been retaliatory, every single one. Calamity Ganon? The entity, the _abomination_ we fought for? He would have murdered us just the same as those we ourselves hunted, like dogs. That's not a sacrifice I'm committing myself or others towards any longer."

"I understand." Janek frowned. "But...what about Sebastos? You won't stay with us 'till then?"

* * *

**[A/N: The Sheikah/Yiga City is actually called Sebastos. ****I do not know why I put just Bas, but I have fixed it in the first chapter.]**

* * *

Silas scoffed, tying his bag up. "Something tells me Sebastos is not the paradise we're hoping for in our darkest of hours...As ironic as it is, that I suggested it, I fear the only thing that awaits us there is our own destruction."

"So you're..." Grey eyes met his.

He nodded. "I'm going to stay in Hyrule and figure some things out, just like we planned."

He stepped forward, now face-to-face with Janek. Without their masks, they were not the assassins they trained to be, they were not Ar-Silas and Ar-Janek, elite soldiers of the Yiga clan. They were Sheikke and Cypha, childhood friends - Their embrace was shrouded in the cold darkness - And perhaps a little bit more.

He _could_ say he never had he felt the same way towards a woman than Cypha, that telling her that was more difficult than anything he'd ever done. But sometimes romance is pretty clear, cut, and dry, mutual and bond tightly in trust. They tried to put their feelings aside, afraid it would get in the way of their work. But looking at her now, raven hair cascading down her shoulders, grey eyes staring into his, he admitted that it was always a futile gesture, both for reasons of the heart and practical matters. They used their love to conquer challenges, foes, and the like. Even now when their purpose in life was dying for a lost cause, he would never trade her for another.

Perhaps he didn't deserve to love her, and her him; maybe they didn't deserve happiness because of what they did, the blood on their hands.

But, by Hylia, he would continue to love her until the day he died.

"You could come with me..." He suggested rather casually in spite of the tension. "We can start again elsewhere, far from the Sheikah, far from the Yiga, far from all this...Just us."

"Hmm..." Her hands rested on his shoulders, and his upon her's. "Just us, you say? I can't even imagine how that would turn out." She smirked. "But meanwhile, our brethren would continue to live a lie and march to their deaths. I have to try and save them, I owe them that much for saving me all those years ago. Besides, I need to keep an eye on Strun, do I not?"

"Yes...Though I don't wish for you to end up like Chikara or Yukie." He nodded reluctantly, eyes steeled. "Will you wait for me?"

"I will." She embraced him one last time. "As long as there is breath in my body, I will."

"Please don't get all romantic on me. It doesn't suit you, Cypha." Sheikke secured his bag, his armor stripped of all identifying markings and covered with a warm cloak, mask discarded on the icy ground. He braced himself for the blizzard and turmoil he surely would face in the coming days, but he would endure it all. Just as he was about to leave, however, a small sword was pressed into his grasp. "What's this?"

"It's my short-blade, you idiot." Cypha smirked. "It's an eight-fold, sharpened it a bit, though. Should serve you far better than I."

"And you? What'll you use in the meantime?"

"Uh, a sickle, duh."

"Don't you hate those things-?"

"Do you want it or not!?"

He inspected it for a moment, before nodding and smiling. "Yes. Thank you, Cypha."

"_Hmph_, I want that back when we meet again, got it?"

"Of course." He sheathed it on his hip. "Until we meet again, my love."

"Goodbye, Sheikke." She waved to him before heading back inside of the cave. "Try not to freeze to death out there."

"Right."

There had been far better goodbyes uttered between them, but this one was far more amicable than those. It left him feeling warm and happy, so much that the blizzard did not bother him as he descended the small mountain and headed south-east. Once it died down and he got his bearings, he would make for his target with haste.

Elder Impa.

* * *

_What had she expected? _Zelda wondered quietly to herself.

A big party? Tears shed? Perhaps she did expect more emotion all around, but it was never really that simple. While she was certainly choked up and delighted when the familiar faces flooded into the house after the sun had gone down, each of the revived Champions handled their grand reunion quite differently, though quite realistically given their personalities.

Daruk laughed heartily and wrapped her in a massive yet surprisingly gentle hug, for a Goron that is. Revali had passed her and sat at the dining table, seeming to stew and brood about something, but noticeably grinned and waved to her when he finally noticed her presence. Mipha, who she'd already met again, was quick to give her a once-over to make sure she was indeed well, before ushering her to sit before setting out a bowl of hot stew for her to eat.

Then there was Urbosa, the former Gerudo chief whom she once saw as a parental substitute. When she was down, Urbosa was typically the one to bring her back up. Though there was a sisterly side of it, fond of poking fun at her, she cared very much for her, Zelda could see that plain as day. So, she looked up at her, smiling brightly as the Gerudo's amber eyes seemed to regard her very carefully.

Then, she smiled in kind, with an all-too familiar smirk.

_There it was. _

The following hug lasted noticeably longer than needed, but Zelda didn't really mind or care.

They then all gathered around the table, hungrily feasting on the vegetable stew Mipha had supposedly cooked. That was surprising, since Link had always been the cook of their group. Zelda was so enraptured by her resurrected allies, she almost forgot to partake in the meal, only beginning on her bowl when their eyes all turned to her.

All in all, it was like nothing had ever really changed. Like a century hadn't passed and almost everyone barring herself had risen from the grave. It certainly made her regrets easier to bear. Arthur had returned once night had fallen, a smoking pipe clenched between his teeth as he leaned against the kitchen counter, watching them all eat at the dining table. Mipha promptly offered him a bowl, but he waved her off.

It was quite curious in Zelda's opinion, given he was Link's supposed ancestor. As one of scholarly pursuits, she found the man's existence fascinating, a product of the Sheikah Slate according to him. A real live Hero of Old, the one who saved not just Hyrule, but the whole world from an encroaching Twilight Invasion, not to mention his participation in the Second Hyrulean Civil War, the Interloper-Gerudo Wars, and the founding of the Kingdom of Ordona. There were legends of him facing off against an army of well over a thousand men and walking away with nary a scratch.

He was a living piece of history, a relic, yet looking no older than nineteen. Though he had an air of mysterious wisdom about him, he held himself and spoke like a young man with a smart mouth. Though, admittedly, Zelda didn't have much reference for that, barring a certain Rito sitting at this very table...

"I wasn't that bad!" Revali squawked indignantly, the unwilling subject of an orphaned punchline.

"You were pretty bad." Arthur confirmed, getting a few sage nods from the group.

"Tragic." Urbosa agreed.

"Sorry." Daruk shrugged.

"You were a little..." Mipha looked away awkwardly.

"But I never-!"

"You nearly fell off a cliff despite being able to fly and read a map _upside-down _for _three days_." The dirty-blonde grinned. "If you think we're _ever_ gonna let you live that down, you are in for a nasty surprise, feathers."

The Rito just glared in response, arms crossed and grumbling.

Zelda smiled. Like nothing had changed at all. Though they were missing a crucial member of their group, in spite of Arthur being a capable substitute, she supposed.

"Is Link still asleep?" She asked, setting her empty bowl to the side.

"Yes, he worked himself nearly to death these past few weeks in anticipation of the final battle." Mipha sighed, glowing eyes casting a glance to the loft where the Hero slept soundly. "He'll be out of commission for a few days, but rest assured, he is quite fine."

"That, in the Hero business, is what we like to call _Adventure Fatigue_." Arthur chortled. "Many don't realize that fucking about for a several days and/or weeks takes a massive toll on your body. I'm surprised he could form coherent sentences, let alone handle a sword when he stormed the Castle."

"Blame all those stamina potions he was drinking every other hour." Urbosa shook her head with a smile.

"Ah, that would certainly explain it." The cloaked Hylian mused, exhaling a cloud of smoke. "Wild really lives by the saying '_Go big or Go home_', doesn't he?"

Zelda perked up while everyone mumbled in agreement. "I'm sorry...Wild?"

Arthur smirked. "Just a little nickname I gave him."

"Is that like _Twilight_ for you?" She guessed.

"I s'pose." He shrugged, while everyone else just looked alarmed. "He likes the wilderness so much, I call him Wild. The same applies to me and twilight, I guess. But like I said, I prefer to be called Arthur."

"Wait, you told her already?" Urbosa raised an eyebrow. "Isn't it far too early for that?"

"Told nothing, she figured it out." Arthur retorted. "'s like I said, the Princesses are too damn smart for their own good."

"Did you use the '_I'm from Ordona_' and '_Hyrule has been isolated for a century_' setup?" Revali quirked an eyebrow. "Because that's the most obvious hint in the world."

"Yet, you all never figured it out." The cloaked Hero said smugly. "Had to spell it out for ya, didn't I?"

"Excuse me!? We didn't have our memories!"

"Exactly, smartass. I can give a pass on not knowing about my legend, but you morons couldn't remember your own names and didn't even question that bullshit excuse." Arthur grinned at Zelda. "You and Link were the only two to immediately pick up on it."

"Hmm." The princess frowned. "Are you always this...crass?"

"Only when he's mocking somebody." Urbosa sighed ruefully.

"I revel in your suffering." Arthur cackled while Zelda stared at him in confusion at the sudden display of madness. She swore she saw his crimson eye flash in tandem with his declaration.

Mipha gently pat her on the shoulder. "Don't worry, you get used to it..."

"Ahem..." Daruk interrupted. "Anyone else feel like we should tell the Princess a little about what's been going on? I'd feel really bad about leaving her in the dark."

"Of course you would, big guy." The former Gerudo Chief chuckled, looking to Arthur. "What about it? Should we?"

"Yeah sure, go ahead." The old Hero shrugged, seeming suddenly more sane, putting his pipe to his lips. "I've already covered how you lot ended up being revived, so need to explain that."

"So...what? From the time we woke up to now?"

"Bits and pieces, no need to overwhelm her."

"Yes, I'd kindly prefer that." Zelda agreed, putting a hand to her forehead. "I feel close to overwhelmed as is."

"Can we please exclude..._remedial training_?" Revali sounded close to begging, getting several quiet agreements.

"_Exclude_?" Arthur smirked evilly. "Now, where's the _fun_ in that?"

The group seemed to begin to panic, but was saved when Mipha raised her hand.

"Um...Sheikah Slate?"

The rest of the champions stared at her for a moment, before snapping their heads back to Arthur.

"Sheikah Slate." They said in unison.

Rolling his eyes, he nodded. "Fine, Sheikah Slate."

Zelda blinked in absolute confusion.

"...Sheikah Slate?"

* * *

**[The Next Morning...]**

Oh yeah, this was _not_ the way he supposed to go.

Sheikke gave a loud groan, cursing himself for not packing a map. Sure, a great sense of direction was one thing, but when you're literally surrounded by mountains, it hardly mattered. So far, while he survived the night and the hellish blizzard, and managed to evade several starving wolf packs, the former-Yiga was just not having a good day. He was tired and extremely lost.

Plus it was really, really cold.

"Alright, you idiot." He grumbled to himself, trying to keep from sliding down a mountain slope. If he could get up top and survey the area, he could probably find somewhere to regroup. His foot sunk deep into the snow, his balance shifting while his eyes widened. He tried to save it. "Okay...try...not...to..._shit_!"

The ice-sheet he was on promptly buckled under his weight and he was now being ushered along to an early grave by a mini-avalanche. Tumbling down the mountain and narrowly avoiding trees, he thankfully was only buried to his hips once he reached the bottom. Digging himself out was no problem, but all his progress had been carried away with the snow.

"Damn it all..." He sighed, sitting down with his legs and arms crossed. "The mountains a no-go, if only I had gear...or Cypha...Damn it, I wish she had come with me, after all. Don't trust anyone else..." He looked around before throwing up his arms. "Well, unless something divine happens, I guess I'm just gonna freeze to death out here."

"Oh Hylia, someone help!" A voice screamed from over the nearby hill. "Please heeelp!"

Sheikke stared in the direction for several moments, before looking skyward. "Welp, it isn't divine, but I'll take it. Thanks."

Getting to his feet, he trudged through the snow and up the small hill, crouching beside the tree as he surveyed the area below. It was small valley, looping around and out of sight behind a mountain. At the bottom were two large wagons trapped in the snow, hosting several people who looked quite distressed at the surrounding Bokoblins and Moblins. It seemed they were attacked while taking a shortcut, poor bastards. It made sense, given that most monsters in Teba would kill for warm clothing and supplies, things that caravans and traveling merchants had in surplus.

So all that was left was to let the monsters kill them, then swoop in and kill _them_, and take all the supplies for himself. Who knows, he thought as he settled in, maybe one of them had a map.

"Back! Stay back, monster!" A man with a big bushy beard yelled, swinging a large broadsword in a bokoblin's general direction. The monster, unimpressed, swatted its spiked club at him, knocking the blade from his grasp. He yelped and backed up against the lead wagon. "_Ah_! Damn it! Joan, get back!"

"Someone help!" Joan, a brown-haired woman, screamed as their assailants advanced. "Please somebody!"

A sudden feeling of unease wormed its way into Sheikke's gut, making him frown as he watched the scene unfold. His red eyes twitched up towards the sky. "Really? Are you seriously giving me a conscience right now?" He didn't know these people and had killed quite a few of equal anonymity, what exactly was his duty of care in this situation?

"Old man! Watch out!" Another man yelled just in time, the bearded man ducking an attack. "The big one's about to swing!"

"Joan!"

"Help-!" The woman began as the Moblin held it's club up.

"Oh, fuck it." Sheikke growled as he stood, hand already drawing Cypha's short-blade. With a single jump, he entered the conflict.

The Moblin about to turn the screaming girl into paste was his first target, his feet slamming roughly into its chest, hard enough to knock the wind out of it. Flipping through the air, Sheikke landed on his feet before slashing the monster across the belly. Doubling over, its shrill cries were reduced to gurgling as the former-Yiga dragged his blade swiftly across its throat. "Target down." His voice was monotone as he swiped the blood off the blade, staining the snow with flecks of pink. The rest of the monster squad let out outraged growls and wails, preparing their meager weapons for a battle.

A _losing_ battle.

With a tiny smirk, he beckoned them.

"Come."

* * *

The world was finally coming back into focus after several hours of it being nothing but pure nothing. It was like he was swimming, but the water hurt and his body hurt, and everything hurt because he was probably dead or dying.

Such is the life of a Hero.

_Something something_ Routine _something something_.

Link forgot that particular lesson, so he ignored the urge to remember it and focused on why it felt like somebody dropped a Goron, or two, on him while he had slept. Struggling to get up, he found himself only able to sit upright on the bed. The young Hero blinked and looked around, finding all the beds were empty. So that probably meant everyone else was awake.

"Of course I'm the one to oversleep..." He muttered, eyes bleary. Why was his head hurting? "Hey, Mi_..ph..a.._!"

His call drained away to a whisper, face paling rapidly, and...oh look, the world was going dark again, how nice.

With a muffled thump, he fell back on the bed, unconscious.

After a few moments, Mipha peeked up from the stairs, observing Link for a few moments.

"Hm, I thought I heard him a second ago..." Eventually she sighed. "Perhaps not, I'll try to wake him later."

With that, she descended back down the stairs...while Link began to snore.

* * *

**A/N:**

**Welcome back!  
Hope you guys enjoyed this chapter, it's definitely more light-hearted, which is good.  
****My original plan was to be a bit less comedic and far more...er...angst-y?  
An example being the scene between Sheikke and Cypha originally being far more serious,  
with neither of them snarking at all and being very reluctant to separate.**

**I eventually changed it because...well...**  
**It fits my writing style to have more humorous situations.**  
**I enjoy serious moments too, don't get me wrong, there will be**  
**serious situations and the story will remain far more grounded than it's predecessor, **  
**but for now, it's all about decreasing tension and such.**

**Calamity Ganon is defeated, the Heroes are trying to relax for once,  
Zelda is getting brought up to speed, the Yiga are leaving Hyrule, and Sheikke and Cypha are**  
**confident they are skilled enough to _not__ die_ before meeting again.**

**For fans of the original story:  
Yes, Ar-Janek/Cypha was going to be revealed ****as a woman later in the story  
and Silas/Sheikke was going to be her lover. It was something I thought was "cool" back then,  
but it would've been out of left field in my opinion.**

**Then, we have Twilight/Arthur. Yep, he's still every bit of the snark-knight he  
was in the original story, but now with more depth. While the original Twilight  
acted like young man all the time, Arthur is much more mature and shows it,  
though he has an immature side...and _really_ likes to mess with people.**

**He shows some of Shade/Time's personality  
and, rather than being bound to him, now has Midna with him  
instead ****as a lore-friendly alternative that I was honestly gonna  
do at some point in the original story.**

**Too late now, I suppose.**

**Anyway, thanks for reading and  
I hope to see you in the next chapter.**

**Peace out!**

* * *

**Next Chapter Preview:**

"So you're just gonna die of blood loss?" Arthur raised an eyebrow, smoking his pipe and leaning on his sword while Link tried, and failed, to stop his nose from bleeding. After a minute, he called Mipha over to help. "I swear, you're just like a damn child sometimes."

"Pfft, says the guy who talks to his shadow." Revali snorted, sharpening another arrowhead.

"Hey, my shadow makes interesting conversation I'll have you know."

"Child..." Zelda, who was engrossed in the Sheikah Slate, looked up, probably sensing another opportunity to poke into the ancient hero's life. "Child...child...Arthur, you had children, right?"

Arthur blinked for several seconds, looking to Link, then back to her, then to Link, then her, Link, Her, Link, her.

Then said, to his credit, with the straightest face _ever_.

"...Yes."

_Right...ask a stupid question._ Zelda rubbed her temples. _Let's try this again._

"Okay, then why is your eye red?"

**oXo**


	3. 1-3: Lessons

**oXo**

* * *

**The Legend of Zelda: Routine Remastered  
One Of The Legends**

**Act I: Aftermath**

**Chapter III:**  
**"Lessons"**

"Steady now, we can't have you passing out on us..."

"Honestly, I think I'd prefer it...hehe..." The young Hero's sapphire eyes flashed with amusement, finally awake but still bedridden, he was still noticeably chipper. "Of course, I'd also like for my body to stop wanting to quit on me too."

"Arthur tried to warn you."

"Yeah, I know."

"Hm...You're a little pale...let's get you something to drink." The Zora Princess said, examination interrupted as she looked over to the onlooker. "Princess, can you watch him?"

Zelda looked up from the Sheikah Slate, blinking, before nodding as she set it aside. "Of course."

Mipha nodded her thanks and headed downstairs, leaving the two of them alone in the loft. Standing from her bed, Zelda walked over to Link's side. He was staring blankly at a ceiling, but quickly eased into a warm smile at the sight of her. It made her face heat up slightly as she returned it with a puzzled expression. "Morning, Princess..."

"Link..." She said with a thin smile of her own. "It's actually Noon right now."

"Ah..." His gaze shifted to the side, darkening slightly. "Sorry."

"What for?"

"For being lazy."

"But you're not lazy...as far as I know, that is." She frowned. "You brought down Calamity Ganon less than two days ago, I'm not going to blame you for needing time to rest after something so dangerous and tiresome."

"Hah, I just weakened him a little. You were the one who took him down, Princess." He winced as he shifted in bed. "Besides, I hadn't slept for at least a week prior to that. I should've rested at least once before storming the Castle, but I couldn't wait anymore. Didn't want to be trapped there any longer than you needed to be."

Zelda blinked, touched. "R-Really?"

"Yeah...well..." He put a hand to his temple. "There were...my memories of you...I saw them and I...I couldn't...I just..." He sighed, shaking his head as he let his hand drop. "I don't know."

"You don't owe me anything, Link...if that is what you're saying." He looked surprised at that, but she continued. "I...I knew what would happen to your memories once you were resurrected, I knew of the hardships you would surely endure. If anything, I am responsible for everything that has happened to us, to you. I, and I alone, owe you more than I could ever hope to repay."

Silence...and then...

"...With all due respect, princess. That's bullshit." It was her turn to be surprised as Link sat up straight, his fatigue forgotten as he gave her a hard stare. "Do you remember what you said to me after the Castle was taken by the Calamity? That I should run and save myself? That the oath I swore to you was null and void? Did I take you up on that offer? No. I stayed with you, protected you, until I was almost killed, not because it was my duty but because I wanted to." He nodded to the Master Sword, propped by his bedside. "I'd never be able to wield that sword if I had ran away. So if you think I'm gonna turn around and let you blame yourself for events completely out of your control, you're as foolish as those who belittled you back then." She almost jumped when he grabbed her hand. "Now look at me, you owe _me_ nothing. You owe the world _nothing_. You did your very best, better than anyone could've done in your situation, and you won."

"I..." She paused. "We did win...didn't we?"

He nodded, his grip on her hand slowly slipped as he laid back down, looking back to the ceiling for a moment, before giving her a bright smile. "Yes, we did, Zelda."

_Zelda...He called me by my name rather than Princess._

It was such a stark contrast to her memory of him. A century ago, she'd only seen him smile a few times, when he would eat or spend time with Mipha, yet they were rarely true expressions of joy. Thinking on it, back then, most of his emotions seemed very hollow and subdued. While that could've been chalked up to his training, his fellow knights and royal guards expressed themselves quite readily in comparison. Of course, she did remember when he explained why he always kept a stoic facade, after she'd first asked the very same question.

But _now_...now that there was no one to judge, none to impress, not a soul to lose hope, was he finally able to let that fear go and wear his heart on his sleeve? Was this the Link she had never met? The one hiding under the facade of a Silent Knight? Thinking on his encouraging words, his open protectiveness of her, and the way he seemed far more carefree, it was only obvious that this was very much the case.

"Princess?" Link's voice snapped her back to reality.

"Y-yes?" She gave him her full attention, blinking in confusion when he nodded to her with a much smaller smile on his face.

"Promise you won't regret anything, okay?"

The sincere, almost pleading tone in his voice caught her off guard for several moments as her mind registered it, before she too smiled and nodded. "I promise, as long as you swear not to throw yourself into danger on my behalf anymore."

For once, she heard him laugh, wincing as his body ached in response. "Ah, I think it comes with the territory of being a Hero, courageously charging into battle that is."

"Oh? I seem to recall a similar situation, hm? About a century ago when you recklessly took on a small army of monsters by yourself." She crossed her arms, eyebrow raised. "Do you remember what I told you then?"

"Uh..." Link scratched his cheek. "Something something...recklessness isn't courage, or something like that?"

She almost burst out into giggles at that. "No, I said there is a fine line between recklessness and courage. As brave as you are or can be, it does not make you immortal."

"Well, that's debatable, given that I'm both." The princess nearly jumped out of her skin when Arthur seemingly appeared out of nowhere beside her. That blasted wolf-life grin of his shining beneath his hood. "Okay, maybe ageless not immortal, but whatever. It's good to see you two are catching up after your respective dirt naps." He turned to Link expectantly. "What did I say?"

"That I shouldn't be pushing myself, yeah yeah, Mipha's already on my case about it." Link conceded with a shrug. "I just didn't want to waste any more time than we already had, Arthur."

"Which I totally get, but still say was damn stupid of you."

"Right, did you come up here just to belittle me?"

Arthur mock-gasped. "Do you really think so little of me, Wild?"

"It varies from moment-to-moment, Twilight." Link stretched his arms above his head."Everyone else here?"

"Yeah, they're out on the town, doing...things...I guess." He shrugged. "Beats the hell outta me, I was never into celebrations after a major victory. I lived on a ranch for Farore's sake, doing shit like that meant you didn't get to eat in the morning."

"Okay, so what are you doing then?"

"Well, I was thinking of riding out to hunt a little 'round the valley. We're in dire need of some fresh meat."

"That'd be great, try to get bag some boar. They go great in a stew."

"I'll put it on the list." Arthur gave affirmative nod, waving to Zelda. "Princess."

He headed back down the stairs. "Quite the character, hm?"

Zelda smiled lightly. "He...takes some getting used to."

"But he does mean well, just has a funny way of showing it." Link put one hand behind his head, eyes closed. "You know who he is, right?"

"The Hero of Twilight, your ancestor? Of course." To her surprise and confusion, Link barked with laughter. "What's so funny?"

With a twinkle in his eye, he shook his head. "Nothing, nothing. Quick question, did he give you some weird story about being from Ordona and then mentioned that Hyrule's been closed off for a century?"

"Yes? It was a bit obvious something was wrong with it."

"That's what I said! Haha!" He sighed. "For someone with so many secrets, he's not that good at keeping 'em."

Before she could question him about that, Mipha returned with a glass of water, which Link readily and thankfully accepted. Zelda simply watched them talk for a few moments, many thoughts and ideas running through her head about what the Hero had inferred, before she forced her gaze to return to the Sheikah Slate and sift through the remaining entries. Her curiosity piqued, she swore she would find answers, eventually.

As for Link, there was still many things she wished to speak to him about, many things they both needed to discuss at some point or another. But for now, she decided to let him rest and recover, especially if they were to do more than laze about. She had no clothes or equipment of her own aside from her single white dress, so it would be wise to prepare rather than waste time on conversation.

For their official reunion, it wasn't exactly what she had mind.

But it would do for now.

* * *

**[Meanwhile...]**

Was he a traitor?

Ar-Silas, now just Sheikke, asked that question several times, unsure of the exact answer. Maybe he should have stayed with his surrogate family, in spite of their failings. The majority had been decimated, and he wasn't certain the remnants could remain strong enough to journey out of the Hyrule, in hopes that they could make it to a city that may no longer exist or condone to their strict beliefs.

Sheikke had questioned their way of life only a few times during their reign, but found that number rising alarmingly once the Hero and his group had turned the tide a few months prior with the destruction of their hideout and the death of Master Kohga. Most of them didn't even know their origins, the tale of the Sheikah's disgrace by the Royal Family, a catalyst for their clan's division and the Yiga's formation. They didn't know their own history yet fought "because it was right".

A goal so hollow it disturbed Sheikke, so much so that he realized the truth, that the Yiga were not in the right, they never had been.

Of course, seeing Chie, Chikara, and Yukie perish had served as the last straw for him. Though the first of the triplets was the result of a tragic encounter, the others' deaths would have been easily avoidable had they been given the chance to rest rather than throw themselves repeatedly at any and all problems. He wouldn't dare suggest sabotage, because Yiga trusted one another like family, but Ar-Strun's nonchalance to their loss invoked such feelings of disloyalty. Then again, Sheikke had never liked him anyway.

But _he_ was the one to run away, staying behind and leaving them to fend for themselves, even if it was under the pretense of scouting. He had lied, discarded their colors, and was actively plotting against their beliefs. That made him a traitor, at least in their eyes, and the Yiga did not look kindly upon traitors.

Dorian learned that the hard way, Sheikke knew that well, being the one to deliver that comeuppance.

That probably just made the situation ironic.

"What're you thinking about?"

His red eyes flickered as he shook his head. "Nothing."

"Hm." Joan, the woman from the caravan, frowned. "You don't act like it was nothing."

"Probably means he dislikes people prying into his business, Joan." Stephan, the bearded man, reprimanded his daughter. "Whatever it might be."

"I like to imagine it's not too nice." Said the younger man, Mottley. He had an odd accent. "The way you killed those monsters? That thin armor? Yer an Assassin, ain't ya? A sheikah."

Sheikke felt his jaw tighten, but didn't flinch. "Yes, I am."

"Well damn, it's nice to see that y'all are still kicking." He barked. "Outside Hyrule, you don't hear much about the Sheikah."

"Right." That had been the first revelation once he had saved them, that this little caravan were traders from outside Hyrule. Their short, but pointed ears had fooled him into thinking they were Hylian, but they were actually Marshmen, residents of the country of Marsh that lay to the west of Hyrule. Once the gales that surrounded Hyrule had ceased with Calamity Ganon's defeat, they had dared to enter Hyrule and get a lay of the land. While notably fickle with their words, they were more than willing to give him a ride to Rito Village, their first stop in the former kingdom. They were also good with getting some idea of what the world outside Hyrule was like. "Does the Yiga Clan sound familiar to you?"

"The Yiga? Sure, they're still living in that big city on the Emerald Sea." Stephan grumbled, stroking his beard. "Sebastos, I think? Yeah, that's it. But that's to the far north, right about on the border between Marsh and Norvun. They're a sour lot, but keep to themselves. Got themselves a new _Lord_ too, fella by the name of Akal."

"Akal..." While that certainly put some of his fears to rest, it only elevated his other ones. And this Akal made him feel uneasy for whatever reason. "I see...anything you can tell me about him?"

"Well, like I said, they keep to themselves. I can tell you that he's keeps the peace on the border, sending out men to slay monsters and such. Sebastos isn't a country, just a city state, so what he can do is limited."

"I think he's a fine man." Joan added wistfully.

"A'course _you_ do, Joan." Mottley rolled his eyes.

"Hey-!"

"Enough you two!" Stephan barked. "Sorry 'bout that, anything else?"

Sheikke frowned, thinking. The more information the better, he had a good cover story in the making already, some final touches and he'd be set once he got to Kakariko. It wouldn't do if he couldn't get close to his target. He'd have to probably cut his hair short too.

"Yes...What other countries are out there?"

"Not that many...First, there's Marsh, our home, then Ordona..."

The spire of Rito Village came into view, the massive machine that was Vah Medoh looming over it like an an old ghost, a relic. Sheikke observed it, letting the information wash over him, focused intently on building his masquerade. This had to work, or he was dead, no doubt about it. There was no room for failure, for Cypha's sake as well as his own, he had to succeed.

Once at the village's entrance, the caravan stopped to hawk their wares. Information in hand, Sheikke bid them farewell and slipped off down the road, but not before snatching an extra map for himself. Hopefully they wouldn't mind missing one. "Consider this me balancing my karma." He muttered to the sky, continuing south-east along the road. "Just try not to test my morality again, Hylia. You'll be disappointed."

He squashed the feeling of unease that suddenly crept over him.

* * *

A few days had passed, much faster than Arthur expected.

Link had finally gotten his lazy bum out of bed and back into action. Of course, the turnover for him being up and about seemed to occur approximately around the time he forced himself out of bed, prepared three meat/vegetable skewers, then devoured them in the same minute, after which he appeared to be at full-roaring strength. How that even worked was something Zelda felt she would need to look into, with possibilities such as increased metabolism or even a magical element they had never been aware of. He had always been fond of food after all.

Meanwhile, the Princess finally got a chance to head into town and get some things of her own. Urbosa had accompanied her, helping her pick out the right selection of clothes. Two tunics, red and purple respectively, for travelling, two dresses for casual-wear, and a furry-white coat for when it got cold. Afterwards, they browsed the General Store for some miscellaneous equipment, including a hand-crafted satchel.

She also visited Purah, who was not expecting her and apparently screamed in horror while Zelda tried to hold in her laughter. He had already informed the Princess of her condition, so it wasn't that big of a surprise, though Zelda was extremely interested in the so-called de-aging rune and wondered if it could be perfected. She ended up wasting almost the entire afternoon brainstorming with the child-aged Purah about it before Urbosa got her to come home.

It was the end of the day, when the twilight once more crept across the valley, all that could be heard from their little hovel was the clashing and clanging of steel on steel. While Mipha had suggested just a little more bed rest, Arthur, being of a mind that steel tempers all ailments, instead barked at Link to get ready for a some sparring sessions. His descendant had great skill with a blade, without a doubt, but there were a few things he definitely could improve on rather than rely on muscle memory.

"Never one to do things halfway, are ya, _Twilight_?" Link grunted as he blocked a swing with the Master Sword. The Champions, Zelda included were watching from the sidelines.

"Don't care, _Wild_, ain't no descendant of mine gonna slack on his swordsmanship." While Link used a shield, Arthur only wielded a single medium-sized broadsword, symbols of goat-horns on the hilt and guard denoting it's Ordona origin. "Now, block high! Now low! Hya!"

Sparks flew as their blades met, the younger Hero jumping back for distance. He was wearing a peculiar green tunic and beige trousers, a long green cap on his head. His champion's Tunic was damaged and bloodied from his battle with Ganon, so he had to pull this outfit out of storage. As far a gifts from ancient monks go, it wasn't half bad aside from the original trousers being a little small and...tight, so they replaced them with some standard trousers instead. Arthur thought it looked far better that way, anyhow.

"You think we can move onto forms now?" Link asked as they disengaged.

"...Alright." Arthur straightened out his stance, one arm hidden under his black cloak. "Ready?"

Link nodded, rolling his shoulders. "Begin."

"Right, one!" A quick downwards swing, Link sidestepped it.

"Two!" _Clang_! He blocked the swing.

"Three!" A stab, Link backed out of its range.

"Good, four!" _Clang_! Another blocked stroke.

"Five!" _Clang_!

"And Six!" Arthur jumped forward, bringing his blade down fast. Link barely dodged it, stumbling out of the way just before it made contact. "Almost gotcha, didn't I?"

"Yeah...whew..." Link shook his head. "Alright, let's do it again."

"Alright!" They returned to their positions. "Ready?"

"Begin."

"Okay, one! Two! Three! Four! Five! Six!"

"Again."

"Okay, ready?"

"Yeah."

"One! Two! Three! Four! Five! Six!"

"Again!"

"Got it, one! Two-!"

It went on like this for a while, both going through the same swings and strokes, like a choreographed ballet. At first, Link continued to stumble at the fifth and sixth forms, until he gradually fell into step with it. Until, eventually, Arthur stopped calling the forms and they entered into a silent duel. Zelda had watched them, mesmerized at their synchronized movements, the balanced strokes and movements. It was like watching the inner-workings of a clock, all timed and honed to precision. A century ago, she had occasionally entertained the idea of being trained in swordsmanship, so that a bodyguard wouldn't be needed. That, of course, was before she and Link had developed their friendship, so she never got around to it.

But seeing the sheer speed and dedication to the fight itself, she concluded that path may not be suited towards her.

By the time ten minutes had passed, she had pulled out the Sheikah Slate and began to go through it, picking up where she had left off. This had the effect of her missing out when Link suddenly decided to blitz past Arthur's defense and attempt to slash him across the torso. Alarm flashed in the older hero's dark-sapphire eye, before his free hand emerged from his cloak and sucker-punched his descendant in the face, who promptly called off his attack and recoiled while cradling his nose.

"Gah! Ow...ah...ah..."

Mipha stood up worriedly. "Link! Are you okay?"

"Yeah, he's fine. Give him a second." Arthur said nonchalantly, drawing out and lighting his pipe.

"Cheap...shot..." Link grunted from behind his hand, leaning on his sword.

"That'll be today's lesson, the art of punching your enemy in the face when they least expect it." He smirked. "Quite effective, as you may notice."

"Grhh..." The growl was lost in the small glob of crimson, which began to accumulate rather rapidly.

"So you're just gonna die of blood loss?" Arthur raised an eyebrow, smoking his pipe and leaning on his sword while Link tried, and failed, to stop his nose from bleeding. After a minute, he called Mipha over to help. "I swear, you're just like a damn child sometimes."

"Pfft, says the guy who talks to his shadow." Revali snorted, sharpening another arrowhead.

"Hey, my shadow makes interesting conversation I'll have you know."

"Child..." Zelda, who was engrossed in the Sheikah Slate, looked up, probably sensing another opportunity to poke into the ancient hero's life. "Child...child...Arthur, you had children, right?"

Arthur blinked for several seconds, looking to Link, then back to her, then to Link, then her, Link, Her, Link, her.

Then said, to his credit, with the straightest face _ever_.

"...Yes."

_Right...ask a stupid question._ Zelda rubbed her temples. _Let's try this again._

"Okay, then why is your eye red?"

"My eye's red?" He parroted, sounding alarmed.

She blinked. "Uh...Yes?"

Without missing a beat, Arthur held up his sword and gazed at his reflection, to which he promptly screamed. "Oh shit, my eye's red! How did that happen!?"

"Arthur, please don't pull this again." Urbosa asked, rolling her eyes while trying not to smile.

"Partypooper." The ancient Hero scoffed, while Zelda blinked in complete confusion. "I know my eye's red, I was just joking around."

"That's your idea of a joke?"

"No, sumo-wrestling a Goron is _my_ idea of a joke."

"Huh?" Daruk blinked.

"But we don't have time to open _that_ can of worms." Arthur smirked, exhaling a cloud of smoke. "My eye is red because of connection to the Twilight, of course."

"Connection to the Twilight? What do you mean?"

"It's a symbol...er...a symbolic characteristic, I guess?" He seemed to stumble, like somebody had just shoved him, but nobody called attention to it. "Okay! Back when I was alive and really young, I tried to train in dark magic. I had found a book on it and everything, but the whole thing was in some odd language I couldn't understand. As it turns out, it was the language of the Twili, one of whom I happened to travel with during my adventure. She translated it and even gave me a few pointers on how to utilize it, but I only ever first used it about a decade afterwards."

He chuckled, holding out his right arm and rolling up his sleeve. There were blue markings on his skin, which seemed to be much darker than his normal tanned complexion. The glowing digital-lines seemed to flow up his arm and to his cheek, making several patterns around his red eye.

"Unfortunately, a being of light using twilight magic leaves scars no matter the case. Some scars, like these, are aesthetic and not harmful in any way, others are...well...let's just say the Interlopers learned their lesson."

"How do you mean?"

"Think of it this way, Zelda." Urbosa said. "Light and shadow are not, in any circumstances, supposed to mix. Arthur is the exception that proves the rule. Without his friend's guidance, he could've died..." She frowned, looking back to him. "Or worse, ended up like _them_."

"Those who knew not the danger of wielding power, before long, became ruled by it." Arthur added wistfully, it sounded like he was quoting someone. "To that, there is no exception." He looked to her. "That is a lesson everyone must know."

Zelda nodded slowly. "Then...how do you wield it, if one can be so easily ruled by it?"

Arthur paused, eyes slowly closing as he seemed to consider the question very carefully. After a moment or two, they opened once more before he smiled, to which he simply said, "Courage and Wisdom."

"Courage and...Wisdom?"

"Yes, Power without the courage to wield it, is useless, Courage without the wisdom to guide it, is reckless." He nodded. "And Wisdom without the power to shape it...is helpless. This triumvirate is what keeps darkness from tainting my heart, what keeps my sword arm ready and nerves steeled, it is the force behind our bloodlines and our legends, no matter old they are." Arthur held out his arm to the side. "The Ganon I fought in my time was a skilled swordsman and powerful sorcerer, wielding great power, none like I had ever seen then. But that same power, when he needed it most, he had not the will to use it."

_Then, what of my own power? _Zelda pondered worriedly. _Could I find myself ruled by it too?_

"However-" As if reading her thoughts, Arthur walked over and knelt next to her, taking her right hand. "-power is not inherently evil, mind you. It's what you do with it. Principles and rules are not set in stone and never have been. For example, the power you possess, princess?" As if willed into existence, three dark triangles appeared on the back of her hand. "A piece of it was wielded by Ganon, all those years ago. But now? You used it to banish the darkness." The triforce began to glow a shining gold. "To seal away the one who once tried to rule it, and subsequently became ruled by it. And to do that without training, without these lessons in mind, only proves that you have the capacity for all three."

"But what if...it tries to rule me? Like it did to Ganon?"

"It won't, unless you allow it to." He nodded to her. "Will you?"

"Of course not!"

He stood up. "Then it won't."

It did nothing to reassure her.

* * *

Sheikke's journey to Kakariko hadn't been as exciting as the beginning, but he reached his destination all the same. The gate looked older than the village itself, though his memory of it was hazy at best. He'd been born into the Yiga Clan, so their counterpart's home had only been graced with his presence once or twice. But without a guard in sight, he had to say, he was a little disappointed.

"Guess I'm just walking in..." He muttered to nobody in particular.

A few rocks tumbled down the cliff-side to his left, to which he sighed.

Of course, it was never that simple.

His make for Cypha's blade was interrupted by the feeling of cold metal against his throat and a hand grabbing onto both his arms. Sheikah warriors circled him, their faces covered, ceremonial robes and hats discarded in favour of light stealth armor similar to his own, albeit with a blueish hue compared to his darker version.

"Speak your peace, Yiga. Before we end your wretched life." The leader spat, red eyes boring into his own.

"I'm not a Yiga." Sheikke swallowed as the blade was pushed closer to his flesh.

"Liar! There are no Sheikah unaccounted for outside the village, and you are not one of them."

"Things are that bad, huh?" He began to put on the show. "Have the Yiga really put that much of a strain on you? I guess it's a good thing I wiped them out then."

There was a deathly silence for a moment, each of the Sheikah silently communicating with one another, before the leader turned back to him. "You wiped out the Yiga clan? Do you have proof of this deed?"

"I do...if I may?" A wave of the hand and the grip on his arm was released, to which Sheikke reached into his bag and pulled out a small bracelet. "This is a Sheikah's bracelet, is it not? Does it look familiar to you?"

They inspected it, before the leader gasped. "Wait...that's..!?"

"What is it, Dorian?"

"This is...my wife's bracelet...the Yiga who killed her took it as a trophy..." The Sheikah took the bracelet and looked it over, eyes widened in shock. "This means...you killed him...You killed Ar-Silas?"

"If that was his name, I did." Sheikke lied smoothly, expression neutral as he drew Cypha's sword, and the ordinary sickle he'd also brought, albeit with Strun's motif carved into the hilt. "Not only that, I also slew the owners of these weapons."

"The short-blade of Ar-Janek...and a sickle bearing the mark of Ar-Strun!"

"The three Ar's...defeated...Combined with Kohga's death...Incredible."

"Not only them, but the entire lot." He continued, hand on his hip. "There was a large group of them in the northern mountains, trying to leave Hyrule. I had mistaken them for fellow Sheikah, but once I spotted their symbol, I ambushed them instead. While the foot soldiers made suitable fodder, I had great difficulty with the leaders. Once I had slew them, I built a pyre and burnt their corpses, as is custom for traitors, hm?"

"It is...And you say they were trying to leave Hyrule?"

"Yes, the gales that have surrounded this fallen Kingdom have ebbed. I myself am not from Hyrule, but from Kalbariko in Ordona." He had to refrain from smirking at their reactions to that. "But I haven't been home in some time, instead wandering the lands and hunting any Yiga who dares step foot outside Sebastos."

"Sebastos is still under Yiga control, even after all this time?"

"I don't know the specifics, but yes, it is. Ruled by a man named Akal."

"News like this, the Yiga destroyed in Hyrule...you must speak to Lady Impa, at once!" They motioned for him to follow. "She is our Elder, she must hear this. We will keep your weapons, don't worry, they shall be safe."

"Of course, lead the way."

"Wait." Dorian stopped him, placing a hand on his shoulder. "Thank you, I mean it. Ridding the world of the man who killed my wife...it brings me no greater relief. My only regret is that I wasn't able to take him down myself."

_Someday, you may get the chance, Dorian. _Sheikke thought absently, nodding. "It was my pleasure."

* * *

**A/N:**

**Chapter 3!  
I think I'm getting into a good one-chapter-a-month schedule.  
****That's way better than the chapter-a-week I had going when writing Routine,  
I don't have the energy for that anymore.**

**I am a little concerned that there might've been a drop in quality.  
It wouldn't surprise me since I'm going through a lot of things lately and have probably been depressed.  
But biased as I am, I can't really tell and want to know what ****you think.  
****As long as you don't completely grill me like most critics do, I'll be fine.**

**I am still working on that Wild West Zelda! It probably won't be updated as frequently when it comes out,  
but I've got some good ideas for it. Keep an eye out!**

**Anyway, we can finally see some complexities in our main characters.  
Link's personality is a little more chipper and carefree, much like if Arthur/Twilight was not cracked in the head.  
On the other hand, Arthur's wisdom and maturity shines through. He can act like a maniac who revels in people's suffering,  
but he is still a Hero even if he doesn't like to admit it. Then there's Zelda, who is finally coming to terms with the fact that Hyrule's greatest nightmare is truly over and done with, as well as the fact that inside her is a dormant power that once shaped Hyrule into what it is now.**

**We see the web of lies that Sheikke has begun to weave, his ultimate goal still unknown.  
But we can solace that the man he once was is dead and buried, even if is not physically.  
And we see through him that people from outside of Hyrule have taken interest in the forgotten land and  
are beginning to make contact with it's inhabitants.**

**In the coming chapters, we'll see just how these pieces begin to fit together.**

**See you then,  
Peace out!**

* * *

**Next Chapter Preview:**

Zelda frowned as she watched Mipha practice with her trident. "So...you do still care for him?"

"Of course I do, Princess." Mipha nodded, smiling. "Even if our memories are not complete, we must all care for each other. It is what keeps us strong and happy."

"No...I mean, do you still love Link?" The heat rising to her cheeks from asking such a personal question was unbearable. "Like you loved him all those years ago?"

The Zora Princess paused mid-stroke, caught off-guard by that, eyes wide and mouth open like a fish, no pun intended.

"Love...?" She repeated carefully, looking to Zelda curiously. "That's a silly question, of course I still love him."

"...oh." Zelda couldn't help the disappointment throbbing in her chest, wanting nothing more than to crawl into a hole and die. "I see...that's-"

"However..."

**oXo**


	4. 1-4: Starting Somewhere

**oXo**

* * *

**The Legend of Zelda: Routine Remastered **  
**One Of The Legends **

**Act I: Aftermath  
**  
**Chapter IV:**  
**"Starting Somewhere****  
(Might As Well Be Here)"**

Mundane.

That is how the entirety of Hyrule felt now.

At a two-week milestone, Calamity Ganon's defeat was rapidly fading into mere memory, no longer hanging over the ruined kingdom like a dominating presence, one of liberation and opportunity. Bokoblins, Moblins, and other creatures of darkness had retreated into the darkest nooks and crannies, fearing even mere sunlight. The remaining Guardians, without malice to influence their actions, fell silent and cold, dotting the landscape like hollow decorations of a bygone age.

Yet no one knew what to do with it, without any semblance of political structure, life simply went on for most. One would think factions would arise to take advantage of the non-existent monarchy to try and take over. But none held the numbers, the knowledge, nor the will to even attempt such a thing. This held especially true for the rightful heir to Hyrule's throne.

Princess Zelda, now just Zelda, found an odd comfort in the simple life. Commodity was lacking in what amounted to Hyrule's frontier. The days passed by without fuss or celebration, just one after another, accompanied by a monotonous routine. Most days, she would wake up, have a home cooked breakfast with her fellow Champions of old, before spending the day spilling over the many interesting items and artifacts they had come across on their journey. Link even cleared out a small shed behind the house for her to use as her personal lab, even if it was a bit cramped.

Compared to her previous life, with a strict daily schedule, private classes with tutors, ceremonies, and other such responsibilities of the royal family, it felt completely alien and sometimes shameful, that she could indulge so easily into her hobby of scholarly pursuits. But without anyone ready to raise a stern voice to reprimand or discipline, it was easy to shed the expectations of before.

Still, she watched her friends and their routines as well, more out of curiosity than anything else. Daruk and Revali spent their time sparring with one another in the morning when not doing chores, often joined by Urbosa, before all three would head down into the valley to pick through the ruins and take on any monster stragglers. Later, they would go through their weapons, cleaning and sorting them before another sparring session would inevitably erupt. Mipha occasionally joined her fellow champions, but preferred to read, wander the river banks, or go fishing with Link and Arthur.

Those two, however, did whatever they pleased. It wasn't long ago, by her memory, that Link always stayed by her side. But now, he was always off with his ancestor, doing whatever it is they had decided to do that day. She had caught them cleaning and testing weapons, napping in the house, sparring in the front yard, spending hours fishing along the river flowing through town and into the valley. They had even planted a garden, much to her surprise and scholarly delight.

It wasn't to say she and Link rarely spent time together, they enjoyed one another's company, but Zelda couldn't shake the feeling he was trying to distance himself from her. That was preposterous, of course, but the feeling was there. There was always this subtle look of melancholy Arthur would give Link, who either didn't notice or care. She did feel a little worried. Even after all his bluster about controlling the dark power inside him, she did not envy the burden that obviously lay on his shoulders. Of course, she imagined many would not envy her position either, not that it was a competition.

But with things being so different, and her friends always finding some way to include her in their respective routines, she never really had a moment to dwell on it, even if she was still admittedly afraid of her own power. Of course, when she had time to ponder these things, she could not exclude some other topics, especially the finer points of the old Companions' dynamic and, more importantly, a certain relationship.

She would be a fool to lie to herself that her feelings hadn't changed for a certain Hylian, love was hardly that excusable, but that didn't mean she was ignorant to a particular complication if she were to act upon it. Now, that didn't mean she saw Mipha as a rival, Hylia forbid she stoop that low, but she was still curious if her and Link's relationship, platonic or otherwise, had survived the trials they had faced this past century.

For matters of the heart, she wouldn't dare ask Link lest she herself die of embarrassment for asking such personal questions. Instead, she sought Mipha out, woman to woman. She didn't have to look far, finding the once-meek fellow princess outside, delicately cleaning her trident with a certain attention befitting only her. Yes, Mipha becoming a bit more assertive and confident had been a surprise, but a welcome one. Definitely not a major surprise, given the circumstances.

"Mipha, may I speak to you for a moment?"

"Of course, Princess." She smiled softly, turning the weapon over in her lap, eyes glowing.

"It's about Link." Zelda instantly noticed the small frown and worried gaze. "He's alright, just...What do you think of him?"

Mipha blinked, head tilted to the side. "What do you mean?"

"Like...what do you think of him as a friend, a comrade?"

"Well, those are both quite different, I assure you." She stood up and took a few steps away to give herself some room, going through the movements and forms of her weapon with practiced grace. "As a comrade, I say he is reliable, strong, and brave. Someone who I would trust with my life, especially on the battlefield. His courage...It knows no bounds. As a friend, however..." She paused to give her thoughtful look. "He is a good person, pure of heart, and strong of will. Not only that, his confidence and determination, even in the face of overwhelming odds, is something I greatly admire."

Zelda frowned as she watched Mipha practice with her trident. "So...you do still care for him?"

"Of course I do, Princess." Mipha nodded, smiling. "Even if our memories are not complete, we must all care for each other. It is what keeps us strong and happy."

"No...I mean, do you still love Link?" The heat rising to her cheeks from asking such a personal question was unbearable. "Like you loved him all those years ago?"

The Zora Princess paused mid-stroke, caught off-guard by that, eyes wide and mouth open like a fish, no pun intended.

"Love...?" She repeated carefully, looking to Zelda curiously. "That's a silly question, of course I still love him."

"...oh." Zelda couldn't help the disappointment throbbing in her chest, wanting nothing more than to crawl into a hole and die. "I see...that's-"

"However..."

The blonde blinked as she noticed the slight resignation on the Zora's face.

"While we both still hold a great deal of affection for one another, it is not what it once was. We are not the Link and Mipha who fell in love a century ago." She gave a small sigh. "We hope that, maybe one day, we can rekindle those feelings, but until then, we will not pretend otherwise. Of course, we are still great friends and...well, like I said, care greatly for one another, as companions and fellow Champions." To her surprise, she laughed lightly. "But to think on it so lightly would be silly. Romance and friendship are two sides of the same coin, selfless yet demanding, rewarding yet confusing, and most importantly, unpredictable...yet precious."

Zelda silently gazed at the Zora Princess for a long while, vaguely recalling several moments where she showed such levels of maturity. It was, admittedly, a short list, but one of great substance. To put aside one's feelings took a lot of willpower, even if it was for pragmatism rather than romantic inclination. But rather than sulk about what could have been, Mipha and Link chose to remain as close as ever, putting their friendship above all else. It warmed her heart to see such dedication from both her friends.

But it also reminded Zelda of a certain moment, a moment that was so long ago, but to her seemed just like yesterday.

When she and Link traveled to Mount Lanayru, and she once again failed to awaken her power. It was the Zora standing before her now who offered advice, but Mipha had never finished. As a matter of fact, had her friends not survived, it would have been the last time they would've seen one another. She wouldn't dare imagine such a possibility, it hurt far too much to consider. But as she thought about what Mipha had said, and what had happened...

_I'm actually quite embarrassed to say it._

_But I was thinking about what I do when I'm healing. _

_You know, what usually goes through my mind..._

_It helps when I think - when I think about-_

"Link."

It made sense, and actually helped her current state of mind. Her power had awoken because she wanted to help Link, her friend. Whatever feelings stirred within her heart, she wouldn't lie and say she knew their meaning, nor the feelings of Link's heart. But until she was ready to figure it out, she would not just blush and push him away like some silly romance story, but remain his friend. To throw it all away, what they had built from the day they met to now, would crush her harder than any rejection ever could.

Whenever he needed her, she would be there.

That was a _promise_.

"Yeah, Princess-_oof_!" Right on cue, the Hero himself approached at his name, only to freeze and blink owlishly when Zelda suddenly wrapped him in a tight hug. Mipha stared curiously at the scene, as did Arthur who was behind Link, holding a small bucket of fish. "Uh...Zelda, this is nice and all...but it's getting hard to breathe..."

Whether she heard him or not, he was eventually released and allowed to catch his breath...Which was promptly bated when Zelda beamed at him, with a look of complete and utter dedication and passion. It was the same look she would have when she'd made an interesting discovery and proceed to involve him in it in some form or fashion, like when she tried to make him eat that frog, among other impromptu experiments.

It was scary as hell.

Even when she promptly walked off, with a skip in her step no less, Link was paranoid.

He looked to Mipha. "Why?"

She just shrugged.

Oh yes, he was very, _very_ paranoid.

* * *

**[Meanwhile, in a place far, far away...]**

This had been a mistake.

A big, _big_ mistake.

Even with the wounds marring her body, crimson spilling down her temple, blinding her left eye as she tried to discretely crawl away, Cypha had the mental fortitude to admit that her declining Sheikke's invitation to leave the Yiga behind was a damn stupid decision. Not even a little stupid, it was the goddess-forsaken highlight of a long list of 'em.

But, _no_, she owed it to them. Those were her words, and now she was paying for it. She thought she could survive, that's what they'd been taught, how to survive. The Yiga were skilled assassins, even if some of them were banana-loving freaks. Here in Sebastos, however, the Yiga had diverged into something horrific. In Sebastos, the weak die and the strong thrive. They weren't a clan, they were a war machine.

Their hopes of shelter, camaraderie, and other such delusions were dashed the moment that walked up to the gate of the massive city, if you could call it that, the place was more like a fortress.

Their Grandmaster, Lord Akal or whatever, had greeted them and told them that there was limited space among their ranks, but they would make an exception to those who survived _tryouts_. The initial thought was a test of ability, which didn't concern anyone really, but the heavy iron gate opening to a much larger group of better-equipped, armor-clad Yiga, led at the front by a white-haired man with glowing-red blades, the real idea came across quick enough.

She wasn't sure how many of her brethren survived, she'd managed to take down three assailants before several nasty hits took her out of the fight. Amid a mountain of corpses, many with familiar faces, she knew the number was minimal at best. A blood-stained mask sat just at arm's reach in front of her, the faded-red inverted eye staring at her lifelessly, as if illustrating the shit storm that had just occurred.

_CRUNCH! _A gilded boot shattered it with a single stomp, a hazy red glow enveloping Cypha as her gaze came to rest on the imposing figure of the white-haired man, green eyes colder than the icy hell they had left behind. Part of her considered begging for mercy, but that blank stare told her it was a pointless breach of her pride. Instead, she used the last of her strength to spit a glob of crimson at his face.

He wiped it off with a scowl, raising his twin blades for the final blow. Down they came, the wind rushing past her ears as she braced for death.

"Wait."

They stopped, just inches from her flesh, heat pouring down the nape of her neck. Her fear was becoming more obvious, suppressed as it was by her defiance, her breathing becoming quicker and harsher as a hand grabbed her by the hair and yanked her up. Cypha yelped, teeth gritted together as she came face-to-face with the Yiga Lord himself. Without the strength to defend herself, she simply snarled, "Go...to...hell..."

"I like this one." Akal smirked slightly in response, dropping her like a sack of potatoes. "Hoth, bring her. The others too."

She tried to push herself up, but something hard slammed into the back of her head, forcing her down as darkness claimed her.

* * *

"What do you mean wait here!?"

"Well, feathers, it means that we-" Arthur gestured to himself, Link, and Zelda. "-are going somewhere, but you-" He gestured to Revali and his fellow champions, who were far less disgruntled at being left behind than their Rito companion. "-are going to stay here like the good little duck you are, yeah?"

"So you get to go on another adventure and we're stuck folding laundry and lounging about in utter boredom?"

"It's only to Kakariko so Zelda can catch up with Impa." Link shrugged. "We won't be gone long and I doubt we'll even come across something that warrants the entirety of us."

"Yeah, just keep an eye on the place. We'll be back in no time."

"Ugh, fine. But I refuse to do laundry next."

"That's fine, was going to teach the Princess anyway." He gave a simple wave. "Stay out of trouble."

"Practice what you preach!"

Zelda giggled as they walked across the bridge. "I must say, it is nice to have everyone back together."

"I guess, if one can suffer the madness of their squabbles."

"_Our_ madness? You really think you're _any_ better?" Arthur protested, sounding offended.

"Well, after everything we've been through, I don't think any of our mental states are...up to standard anymore." Link sighed in resignation. "But the Princess is right, we've still got each other at least."

"Indeed, our little bundle of madness." Arthur cooed, hands held over his heart mockingly. "Oh, just thinking about it makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside!"

"Come off it, Arthur."

"Can't help it, you guys are adorable." The old Hero sighed. "To think, you probably would've died if I hadn't found you and led you all to greatness."

"Is that what you call it?"

Zelda laughed as Arthur scoffed in annoyance. They traveled down into the valley, passing the old Hateno Fort, stopping occasionally while Zelda inspected and studied the numerous fallen Guardians. Continuing down the road, they crossed the bridge heading towards Kakariko, the twin peaks looming over them.

"Has Impa changed much since I last saw her?" Zelda eventually asked, looking over the side of the bridge into the river as they crossed.

"Uh..." Link frowned, scratching his head. "I'm...not sure, I'm guessing she was still young back then? I...don't really remember what she was like."

"I see, though I guess that makes more sense than you'd think. You and Impa never really had extended interaction with one another, aside from when you first acquired the Master Sword, of course."

"Really? The way she speaks to me kinda said otherwise, y'know, with respect and all that."

"Well, Wild, wielding that sword and having the blood of the Hero aren't just party favors in this centuries-long celebration of fuckups." Arthur butted in. "Because, as shocking as it sounds, there were a whole lot of Links before you and before me. I could name a few that make what all you've done look like cleaning a stable in comparison. It's less about what you've done and more what exactly your bloodline can do." He shrugged. "Hell, our natural talent for battle would've been such an asset, if Ganon hadn't come back, you would've been married off to some hapless woman in no time flat."

"Ugh, you make it sound like I'm some horse at auction." Link shivered.

"In the eyes of some people, we all are." He nodded to Zelda. "Some of us even married into royalty."

"Really?" Zelda's eyes widened. "Does that mean-"

"-I was a king at some point?" Link finished for her, sounding very interested.

_...That...wasn't what I was thinking, but alright. _Zelda sighed.

"Doubt it, because we Heroes are rarely blue-blooded enough for a crown." Arthur shrugged while Link looked disappointed. "Maybe a royal consort once or twice, but never in any position to rule a Kingdom."

"What about you and Ordona?"

"Never ruled it, just founded it." He paused, then nodded. "Okay, _maybe_ I ruled it for, like, a week. But Dawn and Amity pretty much went down in history as the first Lords of Ordona. Co-Queens, they liked to call it."

"Who're they?"

"My kids...My daughters." Zelda watched in interest as Arthur's face softened with melancholy, a sad smile tugging at his lips. "They were twins, though Amity had blonde hair like her mother and I while Dawn had red hair like her grandmother. They were little demons when they were young, running Ilia and me ragged ever since they took their first steps...Thought they'd be the death of me, but damn it all if I didn't love those brats."

"Did you have any other children besides them?"

That was the wrong question to ask. Arthur stopped mid-step, head dangerously low as they paused behind him. Zelda frowned and looked to Link, who looked noticeably restrained, gaze off to the side. Just when she was about to say something else, Arthur let out a loud sigh and nodded slowly. "I had a son."

"O-oh?" Everything was screaming at her to not push further, but her curiosity got the better of her. "W-what was he like?"

"He..." He looked up, frown deepening as he came back into the moment. "...What the hell?"

_What was...oh. Oh._ Zelda's eyes grew as wide as saucers. _Who is that?_

To think, the atmosphere had been so lighthearted and fun on the road. Now, it'd been shot down, kicked repeatedly, and thrown into the sea. To put it plainly, it was dreadfully tense in the worst possible way. As you may know, the road leading into Kakariko Village went through a small canyon. The difference today, however, was that each side of the road was packed with wagons and people. Kids ran about, but the adults stood idly by, chatting or working.

"Friend or foe?" Link's hand twitched, ready to reach for his sword.

"They're awfully well-equipped for a merchant caravan." Arthur mused, eyes narrowed. He motioned them to follow. "Let's keep going."

"Into that?"

"What're they gonna do? Barter us to death?" They continued on, walking in between the wagons. They barely got a second glance from most, though a few guards eyed them as they passed on by. "Ah, well that's new."

"What is?"

"A merchant caravan with merchants who don't yell in your ear to buy their goods." Arthur nodded sagely. "The world is making progress."

"Any idea where they're from?" Link asked, keeping close to Zelda.

"Ordona." The old Hero said without a bit of doubt, staring at a standing flag bearing the markings of a one-horned Goat. His shoulders relaxed, but his guard remained firm. "Glad to see they're being productive."

"But I thought the wind barrier prevented all entrance to the kingdom." Link said.

"It could've dispelled when we sealed Ganon." Zelda suggested, mulling the idea over in her head. "Think about it, monsters attack are less frequent, they're in hiding. The Yiga haven't been seen in weeks. It's not out of the realm of possibility."

"Well, it's convenient, I guess."

"It's problematic, who knows what other kingdoms are out there, there's a lot of good land here." Arthur shook his head. "And here I was, wishing for you to have a quiet life."

"_**...Well, that's on you for hoping**_" Arthur frowned at Midna's voice in his ear, only heard by himself. "_**I thought your life would be a prime example, hm?**_"

"_Excuse me, Princess? I was doing just fine until somebody brought their twilight politics on their vacation._" He heard her scoff. "_Fucking interlopers, you kidding me?_"

"**_You're still going on about that? I said I was sorry!_**"

"_It was another war, Midna. So, yeah, I am still going on about it!_"

"**_Well, it'll have to be another time, then. You might have a problem._**"

Arthur frowned._ What is she on about now?_

"Wait, Arthur..." Link's voice caught his attention next. Then he noticed. "Aren't those Darknuts?"

_Oh, you have to be fucking kidding me. _He forced his body not to tense on instinct, schooling his expression as he they passed by the massive knights in black armor. While certainly different than his memory of them, their armor bearing the symbol of Ordona and missing their sleeves to reveal dark-grey flesh, they still towered a good few feet above them all, making their presence imposing even if they were technically not a current threat. Their faces hidden beneath helmets, they were intimidating and battle-ready, just as Ganondorf's former honor guard should be.

"I thought Darknuts were extinct."

"No, they just moved on from the monster-life, to put it plainly." Arthur drawled, eyes moving forward. "They use to serve Ganondorf, but like the Bulbins, they moved on after yours truly put him in the ground. Both tribes came to Ordona, but they didn't directly serve the Kingdom when it was founded. Seems like that's changed, at least for the Darknuts since I haven't spotted a single Bulbin here."

"Are they as strong as they look?" Link asked.

"Bulbins? No. Darknuts? _Very_."

The caravan, while huge, stopped just as they passed through the entrance arch and into the village proper. While a bit odd, Arthur knew that there was little space for accommodating such a large group, so their decision to set up just outside the gate made sense. They headed towards the Sheikah Elder's home without a second to lose. Ascending the stairs, Paya was the first to greet them at the door. "Thank goodness you've arrived, Princess. M-master Link. It's been...hectic, around here."

"Monster attacks? Yiga?"

"No, neither, and probably not ever again." She said with a hopeful tone. "Oh, but I can't explain it to you. Head on inside, you have people wanting to meet you."

"Meet us? Who?"

"Three men...from Ordona, they arrived with that big caravan. Oh, and a Sheikah warrior from outside Hyrule."

"Hm, looks like we'll be getting some answers." Arthur drawled.

"Right, thank you...uh..." Zelda paused, realizing that this was the first time she'd ever met this girl.

Paya seemed to realize this too, bowing suddenly. "P-Paya, your highness."

"Yes, Paya...um..." She waved a hand. "Could you please not bow? It makes me uncomfortable. Also, Zelda will be fine."

"Oh! Of course, Princess...I mean, Zelda."

Pushing open the double doors, they were greeted with the sight of four men, three with their backs to them, with one standing next to Impa in front of them, facing them and, as such, nodding their heads in greetings as the rest turned to face the three of them.

Arthur didn't waste a second in sizing them up. The one on the left had shoulder-length blonde hair, wearing a steel chestplate and greaves with markings that indicated knighthood. His expression was stoic, but he knew that appraising look in his eyes anywhere. His sharp ears indicated he was Hylian.

The Ordonian on the right, he could tell by his normal ears, had brown hair and eyes, the former tied into a ponytail. He wore a white shirt under a dark brown tunic, with a grey sash and black trousers. His expression was oddly soft and thoughtful, looking between them with interest.

The man standing at the front had azure hair that was messy and windswept, almost like his own, with gleeful purple eyes. His tunic was scuffed and worn, chain mail poking out from his sleeves. With his gauntlets and boots, he looked more like a ranger than a soldier. He had a longsword on his left side and what looked like a chain-flail on his right.

He was smirking at them too, guard completely down. "And here they are!"

"Fashionably late, but who's keeping track anymore?" The young man, a sheikah, standing next to Impa said hotly. His armor was heavier than traditional stealth armor, with obvious modification. He had a short-blade on his hip, white hair tied up in a ponytail. He looked like a warrior, strong, but his attitude needed some serious adjustment. There was something about him that seemed off too, but Arthur couldn't put his finger on it...

"Quiet, Sheikke. I hadn't even sent for them yet." Impa said, to which he reluctantly nodded. "Besides, they have obviously been taking some time to rest after their great trial."

"And for that, I don't blame them." The blue-haired man chuckled, stepping forward and holding out his hand to Zelda. "The name's Tennessee, but everyone calls me Royer, don't ask why. You must be Princess Zelda."

"I am." She shook his hand, subconsciously curious that he hadn't tried to kiss her knuckle like a proper royal. "Though, I prefer just Zelda these days, Mister Royer."

"I understand, you people have probably been through a lot, being trapped in this accursed land for so long and undertaking goddesses-knows-what challenges to survive." He nodded to Link, "You must be the Hero I've heard so much about, Link, was it?"

"It is." He shook his hand too. Arthur caught the twitch on the male Sheikah's expression. "You from Ordona?"

"Born and raised, don't let my ears fool you." Royer flicked his pointy ears for emphasis, before turning to Arthur. "And you are? A twili?"

"Their babysitter, for lack of a better term. " The hooded Hero waved. "Y'can call me Arthur. And I'm a Hylian, by the way."

"Ha! I like that. The blonde here is Valenzuela, my best friend and one of Ordona's skilled knights, and _my_ babysitter by his own admission." The man in question rolled his eyes at that. "Oh! And the mouse here," The quiet brown-haired man shook his head in amusement at the title. "Is Valon, dignitary of Ordona. Trust me, he knows his way around politics and finances better than myself."

"That's not saying much, Tenn." Valenzuela remarked.

"Oh, bite me, Val." Royer snapped, but without any real venom, going to smile instead.

"It is a pleasure to meet you all." Zelda bowed her head, slight amusement radiating from her voice. "Tell me, what brings you to Hyrule?"

"Oh, some trading here and trading there." Royer shrugged. "You guys have been cut off for so long, we figured we'd try to find and help any survivors. We were gonna go directly to the Castle...but our scouts said it was empty, devoid of all life."

"Unfortunately, yes. Most of the aristocracy perished during the Great Calamity, I am all that remains of the Royal family." Zelda frowned, the thought sending a pang through her heart. "At least, I believe I am."

"I see, my condolences."

"And how has Ordona fared this past century?" She was thankful when Arthur changed the subject. "Anything interesting happen?"

"Not...really? I mean, there were two wars, but they weren't too bad."

"Wars? Between who?" Zelda asked, surprised. "Even with the Calamity looming?"

"Ordona and Marsh, Norvun and Hytopia helped us out by proxy during the first and directly in the second." Valenzuela shrugged. "With everyone preparing for the Calamity to break out of Hyrule...and never doing so, everyone was geared for war and...well, you get the idea."

"I see, I'm sorry your kingdom had to go through that. If our...situation was different, I'm sure we would've come to your aid."

"Well, it's all in the past now." Royer grinned. "Now, it's time to look to the future. Whatever your plans are for rebuilding the kingdom, we would love to help in any way possible. As a matter of fact, we would like your permission to open a trading outpost near Castle Town."

"A trading outpost?"

"Yes, it shall be both a hub for commerce and, should you require it, a staging ground for rebuilding the Kingdom from the ground up." Valon said, voice hitching slightly. "We've scouted a few spots, but we think we've found an excellent location. An old ranch in ruins to the south-east of the Castle."

"Lon-Lon Ranch." Arthur said suddenly, getting a look from all of them. "What? It was on the sign, wasn't it?"

"Er...Yes, it was." Valon conceded. "Our caravan is equipped with plenty of supplies, craftsmen, and soldiers. It would be a tremendous honor to help rebuild our sister kingdom."

Zelda's brow furrowed as she considered it. "I see...And what does Ordona have to gain from this?"

"Well, the satisfaction of helping you lot out after the hell you've been through, for one." Royer said. "That, and paying back the great debt Ordona owes Hyrule for the Interloper-Gerudo War. Where you saved our kingdom from being squashed in its infancy."

Arthur immediately quirked an eyebrow. _That's not how I remember it._

"Surely you jest, that event was more than fifteen-millennia ago." Zelda said, surprised.

"Yes, well, in spite of all that, in our opinion, we've never come close to truly paying that debt." The azure-haired man nodded. "But now, now we can finally do something substantial enough to make up for it."

"Hm, while I disagree, I'm honored you would go to such lengths for the sake of Ordona's honor." Zelda replied with a bow of her head. "However, I regret to inform you that I am sorely unprepared for rebuilding the Kingdom so soon. Even with resources and citizens, I lack the experience and knowledge to make an effective ruler."

"I understand, not many tutors or advisers around, I imagine." Royer crossed his arms. "Even Valon here, with all his experience in courts, couldn't run a kingdom on his own."

"But until then, a trading hub wouldn't be a bad place to start." Impa said firmly, giving a discreet nod to the young Princess.

"She's right, at least we'll have a foundation to start with." Arthur agreed, meeting the pointed look Zelda gave him with one of his own. "Everyone has to start somewhere, even if it seems insurmountable."

Zelda bit her lip nervously. "...I suppose you're right, it would be my pleasure to allow it."

"Awesome, you won't regret this, my lady." Royer said with a quick bow.

"Yes...uh..." Zelda cringed instantly. "Please, don't do that. I'm not used to...that."

"Oh? Oh! Of course, sorry." The man blushed, scratching his head sheepishly. "You have to start somewhere, right?"

She smiled slightly. "Of course...but it's still a bit much."

Several things happened then. The Ordonians produced a missive of permission for Zelda to sign to make the deal official in the eyes of anyone who decided Hyrule looked good for the taking. At face-value, it made it seem like Ordona was occupying Hyrule, while it really was not if one read in-between the lines. After that, Valon and Valenzuela departed to prep the caravan to ship out by morning while Royer stayed behind to chat further with Zelda and Link at the top of the stairs, door open to look over the village. Arthur, seeing an opportunity, quietly spoke with Impa about something. After what was probably the quietest heated argument in history, the elder reluctantly nodded and called for Paya, who led Arthur off somewhere.

"Princess, Hero...I have something to discuss with you." Once he was gone, Sheikke finally stepped forward.

"Of course, Sheikke, was it?" Zelda greeted, smiling brightly. Though he wasn't facing her, instead looking to her companion.

"..." Easing his weapon slowly from it's sheath, his gaze darkened, red eyes narrowed as he dropped his head. "Forgive me."

In one swift motion, his short-blade was headed straight for the Hero's throat.

"Link!" Zelda screamed.

* * *

**A/N:**

**What? Did you think the Yiga Assassin was _not_ gonna pull something like that?  
**

**Yeah, overall. I'm happy with this chapter, though I think it's a bit rough.**  
**But, as Earnest Hemingway said, "The first draft of everything is shit".**

**Now, this is the fifth, maybe sixth, draft but it counts.**

**Happy to introduce some more characters from Routine, now in slightly-different ****roles that'll suit them better later on.  
The whole trading post idea can branch off in several ways, so I'm happy to have come up with it. **

**I was gonna have the Champions accompany our Trio to Kakariko, but with that many characters present, it made dialogue a pain in the ass. More so than it already is. I'm really rolling around ideas for the Champions, since I want to have them have side-stories that run along with the main story. I'm thinking of having them want to go back to their respective kingdoms, but I know they would never abandon their friends like that.**

**I really enjoy the world-building though, especially the flashes to Sebastos and past events. Can't wait to _really_ get into that.**

**And do not worry, all those shippers out there, I'm not giving up on the romance just yet.  
****Just had to give myself a little breathing room. I still suck at writing romance to this day.**

**You have to start somewhere, I guess.**

**Thanks for reading,  
Peace out!**

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**Next Chapter Preview:**

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"**_Bored_**." Said Midna.

Arthur twitched. "_Getting flashbacks, please stop._"

* * *

**oXo**


	5. 1-5: Steeled Secrets

**oXo**

* * *

**The Legend of Zelda: Routine Remastered**  
**One Of The Legends**

**Act I: Aftermath**

**Chapter V: **  
**"Steeled Secrets (And Their Broad Truths)"**

"Okay...something happened."

"How could you possibly know that?"

"Look at my feathers, they're bristling. I never bristle."

"Firstly, I know for a fact that you've bristled before." Urbosa remarked matter-of-factly. "Secondly, you're probably just upset that you got another bad hand."

"Oh, come on! We haven't even reached the flop yet!" Revali squawked, all but slamming his cards onto the table for all to see, revealing that the Gerudo was correct. "How could you have possibly known that!?"

"...Because you bristle whenever you get a bad hand."

* * *

_Danger. _

_Danger._

_Pain. _

_Death._

It was like clockwork, mechanical and precise. At the first hint of glinting, sharp metal, his mind had snapped into an odd trance, completely focused in the face of the sudden threat. There was such little time to properly react, but time had rarely ever been an issue for the Hero. This instance of danger was no different, as the blade closed in to his throat, where it was to slice through his flesh and end his life.

Everything, the blade and its owner, the nearby Royer, even Zelda who stood there mid-scream, all slowed to a crawl.

_Threat?_

Link could see the glint of determination in the Sheikah's eyes, the will to kill.

_Threat._

_Defend._

That was all the confirmation he needed to go with the motions, body moving in accordance. In a flurry of movement, his gauntlet had risen to meet the attack, his other arm extending to defend the Princess should the need arise. Pain shot through his arm, jolting him from his momentary focus as the blade cut across the leather vambrace and the steel plate underneath, trailing along his forearm.

_Attack._

Ignoring the pain, he took a page out of Arthur's book, fist shooting forward to sock his opponent in the teeth. Sheikke let out a pained gasp, recoiling backwards, giving Link space to draw his sword. Unfortunately, the sheikah was quick to recover, charging back at and into him, slamming him into then through the door frame, sending him tumbling out and down the stairs. Link gasped as he landed painfully on his ribs, dirt meeting his face as the air left his lungs.

_Reacquire._

Groaning and heaving for breath, spots dotted his vision as he glared up at Sheikke, who had stood at the top step, looking down at him.

Then, for a moment, looked to Zelda, who stood frozen beside him. His mind was screaming.

_Threat! Threat! Threat!_

He could've stabbed her. Cut her throat. Done any number of horrid things to her right then and there. But he didn't. Instead, he popped an amused grin at her before his gaze turned back and he jumped into the air at the Hero, short-blade coming down fast.

_Counter._

Link grit his teeth and reaching for the Master Sword. Bringing the blade up, he narrowly avoided a mortal wound to the chest as Sheikke landed sword-first against his defense, then pushing off with enough momentum to flip back into the air and land a few feet behind him. Link pushed himself up quickly, pivoting to face him, shield-drawn and ready too.

"Well..." He eyed the sheikah, his stance easing slightly. "That was rude."

"Wanted to put on a show for the Princess." Sheikke smirked, idly twirling his short-blade much like Arthur would. He caught it, point down in an icepick grip. "Though, I didn't expect that sucker punch from you of all people, thought knights had more honor than that. Though the stories of your reflexes are certainly true enough."

"Honor is for the honorable." Link huffed, absently shaking his injured hand. "And which stories? I'd like to know what stories of me are going about."

"Oh, plenty of good ones, plenty of bad ones. Hard to keep track nowadays." He shrugged, flipping his white hair over his shoulder. "Anyway, I hope you understand that I fully intend to kill you now."

"I got that part." Link mused. "And you're sure this is what you want?"

Link kinda wished he hadn't said that, because the smug grin Sheikke sent him alerted him to the bad time he was about to have. Quick as the wind, a reddish-brown magic flowed out of his off-hand as he slammed it into the ground. The earth trembled, a line of hair-line fractures and cracks fueled by an unseen force shooting towards him faster than he could process, before an updraft of hot air erupted directly beneath his feet. He moved out of the way just as jagged pillars of rock shot up where he had been standing.

"Yes, yes it is."

"Yiga..." Link muttered in reply, watching the ground fall back in on itself.

"You recognize that move? Yes, hunting my fallen brethren has proved fruitful." Link hissed as he narrowly dodged another sudden monolith of death. Although, Sheikke had made no grand gesture this time, aside from a small flick of the wrist. "Come now, show me your true speed, Hero."

_Goddesses, I hate it when they say it like that._ Link grit his teeth in annoyance, side-stepping just enough so his foot didn't get run through. Dodging the damn pillars was hard enough, but Sheikke was constantly moving too, not like the Yiga Blademasters who remained in one spot as they used their inferior version of the technique. Not only that, those updrafts were damn hot too, almost scorching in fact. It was getting really annoying.

"Oh, and you might want to keep your shield up!"

Before he could ponder what _that_ meant, he was provided with a swift answer in the form of a red-hot glob of rock flying at and exploding in his face, sending him reeling backwards. Link had to bite his lip to prevent the stream of swears he'd picked up from Arthur from spilling out, forcing himself to keep moving before another was thrown. Because apparently he could explode the damn things too.

_Focus. _

Taking a deep breath, Link honed in on his opponent, all his attention and focus. Everything else drowned out as his gaze hardened, unwavering from its fixture on the Sheikah. Another red-hot rock was careening towards him, its momentum gone as it slowed to a crawl mid-air. For a split moment, Link diverted his focus to dropping low, narrowly avoiding it as it flew over his head, before snapping right back to Sheikke, who's eyes widened slightly. Within a second, another rock shot towards him. Putting one foot forward, Link shot forward, hylian shield meeting the molten boulder head-on, shattering it and batting the hot shards to the side. His momentum hadn't been slowed by it at all, closing a quarter of the distance before the ground exploded beneath his feet.

But instead of dodging, he instead threw his sizzling shield down, the rocky point meeting the formidable steel and sending him upwards. With the boost skyward, Link twisted and turned mid air, sword pointed down at his adversary. The Sheikah seemed to realize he couldn't dodge in time, so instead rose his weapon to parry much like Link had before.

Sparks shorn off their blades, Link landed on his feet, spinning and twisting as they engaged in a furious melee. A close-quarter fight that Sheikke realized he had a major disadvantage, in both strength and skill, despite definitely being the Hero's senior. With a spiral motion of his hand, he broke off and gave himself a wide berth as several stone chunks assaulted his opponent, who easily dodged and slashed through them.

But, unlike before, the Master Sword flashed with glowing blue light, a beam of sharp energy shooting out at great speed, slicing through stone with the ease of a hot knife through goat butter. It shot clean past his guard and slammed into his chest, perforating his armor with ease. It burned his flesh and knocked the wind out of him, sending him tumbling backwards. The stinging of his torso and his pained efforts to breath again blocked out all thought of the Link approaching, his sword swinging down on him, until the very last second, where his measly attempt of a parry was effortlessly swat away along with his weapon.

His look of muted surprise was met with the edge of a shield slammed into his already injured chest. With a loud cough and a splash, next thing he knew, Sheikke was lying in the small pond surrounding the statue of Hylia. Blinking the water out of his eyes, he tried to stand, only to meet the glowing point of the Master Sword, its bearer leering down on him.

"...Huh..." He rasped after a moment. "That...was a neat trick..."

"Something I picked up after a while." Link said tonelessly, sapphire eyes boring holes in him. He was still immersed in the fight. "Comes in handy for people out of stabbing range."

"I feel like this is the moment where I tell you I wasn't _actually_ trying to kill you."

"The previous admission, the blade heading for my neck, and exploding rocks tells me otherwise."

"Eh...I knew you'd dodge or block 'em or something..."

"And if I hadn't?"

"..." Sheikke shrugged loosely. "Try not to dwell on it..?"

The blonde's eyes didn't budge, but he drew back a few steps. Then whirled around to parry a large hunk of rock, but his sword only stopped its momentum, embedding a quarter of the way into it as it hung mid-air. He attempted to step back, only for another sizable rock to slam into his head, sending him flying and rolling into the grass.

"_Well shit, I didn't think he'd fall for that._" The Sheikah muttered as he climbed out of the water, retrieving his short-blade as four rock chunks floated around him. Gradually, the stone and dirt crumbled and fell off, revealing the big pieces of iron, steel, and copper. With a simple gesture, they slammed together as one, mixing into a pumpkin-sized ball of metal that listed in the air beside him. "Most Yiga can only conjure simple stone, but I find that pure metal hurts far more, my friend."

"...Been...hit by worse..._ow_..." Link hissed as he pushed himself up, face stinging and left ear ringing, his sword and shield lying a few feet away from him. He was already forming a plan of attack, but the obvious concussion was proving troublesome because he was finding it very difficult to focus. "Never met someone could could..._ah_...control stone and metal..."

"What are Yiga techniques were once Sheikah techniques, the mastery of which never truly pass down. That's the reality of the clan splitting in such a manner, the loss or absence of knowledge to what made the whole clan great. Greatness few others like myself have achieved."

"Greatness...Is that what that is? Arrogance, more like." Link's gaze flickered slightly, before he broke into a sprint towards the Master Sword. "Zelda!"

"Oh, no you don't!" Sheikke disregarded the call of the Princess' name, hand shooting forward, the metal chunk following the silent command as it sped after the Hero, form changing into a sharp sword-like shape. It wasn't quick enough as Link flipped forward acrobatically, snatching the Master Sword up and bringing it 'round, parrying the metal mid-air with a shower of sparks before landing on his own two feet, off-hand raised to catch a small tablet-shaped object. Sheikke had only a moment to glance at the Princess, who stood atop the stairs alongside Royer and Impa, her arm outstretched, before he suddenly couldn't move, ethereal luminescent chains of gold holding him in place.

Without wasting a moment, the Sheikah Slate's timer beeping dangerously, Link shot towards Sheikke with unnatural speed. The distance gone just as fast as it had opened, Sheikke had only a split moment to summon the metal to him as Link closed in, sword ready to skewer him. Just as the Stasis ended, freeing the Sheikah and allowing him to move, Link was a single stride away from him, with the sharp metal closing in behind him.

_Shit! He'll get us both killed!_

Sheikke froze in place, knowing he could never raise his weapon to parry in time, nor could the Hero dodge in time should he run him through. Then, while Sheikke was contemplating certain death in the split second before it arrived, Link suddenly leaped forward, flipping up and over him. Now the metal was heading for _him_ instead.

"Cheeky-!" His hands shot forward, willing the construct to stop before it could skewer him. It took effort, but it stopped just short of impaling him through the lower part of his throat. He sighed with relief, only for a familiar hum to make him go stiff. He could feel heat spilling down his neck, sharp point against his nape. "-bastard..."

"That metal lists slightly, even _twitches_, I blow your head off." The Hero stated, Master Sword humming dangerously, almost eager to make good on the threat. "Got it?"

**_CRACK! CRACK!_**

A threat that would not be followed through with just yet. The wind whistled had in their ears along with the clinking of chains, a sharp pain slamming into both of their heads, causing them to stumble away from one another while holding a hand to their throbbing skulls. An impossible length of chain surrounded them, whipping and waving like a never ending serpent, they turned to where it originated, the stairs, where a certain blue-haired Hylian stood, chain-whip in hand. With an elegant snap of the wrist, the entire length bent and twisted around his forearm, the ending link attached to a small ball that seemed to once belong to a flail.

"Sorry 'bout that," He said with a grin, hand resting on his sword's pommel. "But you two _seriously_ need to chill out."

* * *

...

...

...

...

"**_Bored._**" Said Midna.

Arthur twitched. "_Getting flashbacks, please stop._"

"Did you say something, Master Arthur?" Paya asked, almost startling the cloaked Hero.

"Nothing important..._For the most part._" He added that last part quietly, tugging on his hood.

"Are the texts intact?"

"Hm." Arthur regarded the three books in his lap, having the spent past few minutes skimming through them. "Yes, no wear and tear like I'd feared. The lack of preservation methods in this Era not withstanding."

"**_I mean, they did just put them in a bookcase or whatever._**"

"_Zip it._"

"_**Just saying.**_"

"Anyway, they appear to be finished with whatever that was..." He looked out from the cliff overlooking the village, having observed that little exchange between his descendant and the Sheikah outsider. It was _interesting_. "Shall we rejoin them?"

"Of course." Paya stood up, brushing off her knees. "Master Sheikke seems incredibly strong, using such techniques and magic like that."

"He's got skill, one must admit." He stood, books disappearing into his cloak. "But there's something more there, a great deal of pride in..."

"In..?"

"I don't know, it is odd however, and very intriguing."

"Is his pride that much of an issue? W-well, I mean, I _know_ that it can be..." She hastily rectified.

"Hm, it's okay to have some pride. I take pride in my swordsmanship, for example. But too much pride leads to arrogance." He tilted his head, hood rustling slightly. "And arrogance is a slow, insidious killer on the battlefield." He looked down to the girl. "You'd be wise to remember that if you ever decide to follow his path as a warrior."

"I...hmm..." She rubbed her arm. "I know I said that, but...I'm unsure if..."

"There is no need to decide now." She almost squeaked when Arthur patted her shoulder. "Just know that, whatever your decision, you have friends who stand with you."

"..." With an inkling of a smile, she nodded gratefully. "Of course, thank you."

Arthur gave her one last smile before turning away. Regardless of his initial problems and misgivings with coming to this new Era, so far from his time and life, he was never one to deny helping anyone who desperately needed advice or wisdom in a trying time. Link was a given, being his descendant. But there were always people who had this look about them, seeming uncertain and undecided in their choices, in their fate. He never liked to say he was interfering or choosing for them. But being there, giving them a nudge in the right direction, to choose for themselves, just felt right.

Perhaps that was his purpose now? A new fate, a new path to pursue?

Most people think destiny is predetermined. In his experience, that was complete BS, fate had always been malleable, constantly changing and contorting. If anything, they were more guidelines than definite happenings. Now if you waited long enough, fate would eventually weave and metaphorically push you out the door, and people would mistake that for not having a choice.

But they were unaware of the leagues of people who just turned right around and went back inside, fate be damned.

Choices mattered, they destroy lives or save them, break people apart or bring them together, sometimes groups who would honestly have no chance of meeting outside the circumstances. Just look at him. To an outsider, he was some backwoods rancher from some obscure village outside Hyrule. What were the chances he would one day save the world? Wield the blade of evil's bane? Stand firm against the darkness, and later, equal with royalty across the world. Fight off armies and help build a Kingdom from nothing.

From humble beginnings to that of a legend.

One of the Many.

All because he continued down the path, even after saving his friends.

Every boy and young man who wore the green, who wielded the chosen sword, who bore a Hero's spirit and an unyielding will. They controlled their fate, from the day they took their first steps, when they first swing their sword, pull back their first bowstring, then one day hear the call of adventure, and _leap_ for it.

It was funny. He recalled the days where he lamented his "_forced path_" too, chosen for him rather by him.

Oh, but that was years ago. So many years ago. Back when he had the people he loved by his side, friends and family, through thick and thin.

In sickness and health.

But, as the saying goes, shit happens. Some days, you have a choice, others you do not. But as long as you _make_ a choice, either when prompted or in response to the circumstances, you have control of your fate. It was what he was hoping to impart onto Link and his Zelda, the importance of their choices, even if he desperately wished they had more time to recuperate and relax before the next catastrophe strikes. He could see it in the works now, with the mentions of Marsh's warlike ways and Ordona's offer to protect the ruined Hyrule. It was inevitable something was to happen, though it thankfully didn't seem to be fully unwinding at the moment.

So, even if he didn't need to, he felt the need to prepare them for whatever may come next.

After all, Legends don't wait to be written.

* * *

Royer was _fascinated_.

It had been some time since he'd seen a Sheikah in action, and even then it had been far less impressive than what this one had pulled out. Controlling metal? That was some powerful magic, probably extremely ancient if what he boasted was true. Yet, despite his prowess with both blade and sorcery, he still lost to the Hylian hero. While undoubtedly far more skilled with a blade, he subverted Sheikke's trump card through sheer focus, adapting and improvising on the fly, using every tool at his disposal.

It reminded him a bit of his Father. Ordona could use a soldier like him, maybe a dozen. Hell, a whole platoon would suffice.

Speaking of his fellow hylian, he noticed he was staring at him.

"Where did you get that?" Or rather, at his weapon, the chain-whip.

"This old thing? It's a family heirloom." He held it out. "It belonged to my great-great-great Grandfather-"

His voice faded, as did the world around him. Murky splashes of color followed a white haze, like paint upon a fresh canvas.

A memory.

* * *

_"What's this?" The young boy held up the stretch of chain-links as if he'd discovered a great treasure._

_"Hm? Oh, that's nothing special." A warm smile. "Just a little side-project of mine, a General's secret weapon!"_

_"It looks like a whip, Uncle Vvillequin..." The kid tried to sound pointed, disapproving of the blatant subterfuge._

_"That's because it _is _a whip, Link." A light chuckle and a flash of blue locks as the man ruffled his blonde hair. "Now, let's see that technique your father's been teaching you..."_

* * *

"-Who passed it down to his son, who passed it to his son, who passed it to my Father, who then passed it to me-" Royer's tangent trailed off as he noticed the young Hero's expressions, eyes widened slightly as he stared at him for several seconds, as if spaced out. The Princess, who was busy inspecting the wound on his forearm and the nasty bruise on his face, noticed and grew concerned.

"Link?"

"What's wrong with him?" Sheikke frowned from his position on the ground, nursing his own injuries.

Then, suddenly and with clarity in his eyes, Link snapped back to the present. "Vvillequin..."

Royer's eyes widened significantly. "Beg pardon?"

"You're...Vvillequin..." He said haltingly, as if trying to parse a revelation. He looked to Zelda for help. "My un...The General...right?"

Rather than look as equally baffled as he felt, the Princess instead turned to look at him, emerald eyes seeming to assess him in a new light. Then, her eyes too grew bigger in recognition. "...He does look like him..."

"Who the hell is Vvill...Vvi...Vville...?" Sheikke tried, almost biting his tongue.

"Vvillequin; That would be my great-great-great Grandfather as I mentioned before, the original owner of my chain-whip." Royer murmured, sounding thoroughly confused as he looked to his fellow hylians. "But how in Hylia's name do you know about him?"

For a moment, the princess seemed to panic. "Uh...Well, he was the old General f-from before, so of course we had to eventually find out a little about him. We...uh...even found a portrait of him, and you look remarkably similar." _Hylia, I hope he believes that._

"...I see." Royer raised a blue eyebrow. _Yep,_ _I don't believe that._

"Y-yes..." Link nodded absently, still recovering from the rebound of a sudden memory. _Yeah, I don't think he fell for it._

_"..." _Sheikke frowned._ Oh? Making sure nobody knows they're the original Hero and Princess from a century ago? Interesting._

"Alright, what'd I miss?" The cloaked one from earlier - Arthur, was it? - approached with that young sheikah girl. "Wild, you look like hell."

* * *

They had stayed the night, mostly in part of resting and seeing Royer off in the morning.

Though Zelda found herself particularly restless, even after taking a moment to truly reunite and speak with Impa. Her dwellings on her powers and the fight between Sheikke and Link still stewed within, rubbing her nerves raw. She tried reading, but that didn't work. Neither did looking through the Sheikah Slate. It was so frustrating!

"Problem sleeping?" She looked up to see Link in the doorway. That made sense he was awake too, he was...well, Link. "You look troubled."

"Immensely." She murmured, rubbing her eyes. "How are you feeling?"

"Better." Link waved her concern off. "Though, I do have a question."

She tilted her head curiously, watching as he sat at her bedside, deep in thought. "What is it?"

"...Just a clarification." He rasped lightly, looking up at her. The moon made his eyes glimmer with uncertain light. "Earlier, when I had that flashback...I was...I think, standing in the Castle Courtyard with Vvillequin..._Uncle_ Vvillequin, that's what I called him." He paused, looking to her curiously. "Do you...know if we were related?"

Zelda's brow furrowed, a finger to her chin as she pondered. "I...don't think so...Perhaps, your father and him were very close friends? Though rather unusual for the time, he could've been your honorary Uncle."

The Hero blinked, before looking away. "I see..."

He sounded disappointed, Zelda noted with a frown. "Link? What's the matter?"

"...Nothing." He stood up, starting to walk out. "Goodnight, Princess."

"Wait, where-"

But he was gone, brushing past the cloaked figure of his ancestor. Arthur watched him go curiously, turning in the doorway to face her. "What's wrong with him?"

"I'm not sure...He was asking me about the flashback he had earlier."

Something in his eyes flashed. "Oh?"

"He saw Vvillequin, the General of Hyrule's army from before." She rubbed her arm. "He said he referred to him as his _Uncle_ in the memory, and was wondering if he was maybe related to him."

"...And what did you say?"

"I...said I didn't really know, I wasn't aware of any relation between him and Link's father, though I know they were good friends."

"I see." Arthur's red eye seemed to flash as he turned 'round for a moments contemplation, before settling back on her. "Well, I'll talk to him later, don't worry."

"Thank you, Arthur." She nodded. "Why did you come by anyway?"

"Well, I'm restless for one. Then again, I don't really need to sleep, but here-" He sat by her bed and drew back his cloak, holding out three books. "I wanted to show you these. Do you know what they are?"

She looked them over, taking note of the leather wraps and curious symbols, plus the center gemstones on each cover. They looked aged, with a few cracks on the spine, but minimally damaged. She took the first one, bearing a symbol of a kindling flame, and opened it. The calligraphy was equally ancient, bearing symbols and writings of the time when the Old and New Hylian languages merged. But, in line with her scholarly mind, she knew how to translate it. Reading a few lines were all she needed. "This...these are spell tomes."

"Yes, each one for a different spell I believe you will excel at." Arthur nodded slowly. "I noticed how you reacted when I told you about your power and your control over it, so I'm giving these to you, so you may practice and hone your ability so you need not fear it. And-" He paused "-Wild...and I agreed, if you knew some defensive spells, you won't need him or another protector at all times."

"You say that like I don't enjoy his company." Zelda complained pointedly. "I do, for your information."

"That may be so, but there will be times where you _will_ be without protection, from him or otherwise." Arthur stressed. "So, with these and perhaps some physical training as well, we'll try to subvert the damsel in distress quota that's plagued your bloodline for centuries. Hylia willing."

"You've thought this out, haven't you?"

"Oh, like I had nothing better to do."

"Hm." She gestured to the tomes, scholarly mind piqued. "So what are they? The spells specifically?"

Arthur's mismatched eyes closed in thought. "Hm, well, each spell is referred to as a gift from the Three Goddesses and, as such, take their names from them. For starters, Din's Fire: A simple, but powerful spell that allows you to wield flames. Good for offense and defense. Then, Farore's Wind: a simple warping spell that's good for retreat in a difficult situation. Finally, Nayru's Love: a shielding spell superb for defense for yourself and others...Now, there are plenty of other spells outside these 'divine' ones, but I'd like for you to learn these first."

"Why?"

"They're far easier to comprehend and manage, for one." He tapped the first book. "See these crystal gems in the center? They act as conduits for your magic, allowing for focused and easy use until you gain enough experience to do them on your own. The first owner of these spells wasn't even a proper mage, but could perform them with laughable ease."

"So...what about Sheikke's manipulation of stone and metal, would that count as a spell?" She inquired.

"...Yes, but such abilities are rarely put into a tome, much less a conducting gem. Rather, they are passed down from mentor to student." The ancient Hero frowned. "Not to say the forming of a Tome hasn't been attempted, though they were probably incomplete and, therefor, damn useless."

"So how long would it take to learn it, say, if you asked him to teach you?"

"Well, depends on a few things. Is he a good teacher and are you a good student? If yes to both, then about a year. If no? A long, _long_ time."

"Of course." The Princess sighed. "Such things are never easy."

"It applies to more things than you think, Princess." Arthur remarked with a sharp grin, only to go deathly quiet as a quiet scraping sound came from the nearby window. A finger to his lips to silence her, he was but a ghost as he silently approached the window. Then, with speed she'd only ever seen Link possess, reached out and yanked someone right through and onto the floor. The prone spy yelped as he was manhandled, reaching for the blade on his hip, only to stop as Arthur, sword in hand, aimed his blade down and against his neck.

"...Shit." Said Sheikke.

* * *

**[Elsewhere...]**

"So...Calamity Ganon has risen and fallen?"

"Yes, my lord. If what the woman said was true." Hoth groused in a monotone, green eyes cold. "It could be a trick."

"Somehow I doubt that, there are not many who could resist your...persuasive techniques, Hoth." Akal chuckled. "Much less after several days exposure, the poor thing must be shaking with every step by now." He laughed, settling back in the padded chair with a gratified smirk. "Nevertheless, it can't hurt to be certain. Continue with her until she spills all she knows, as well as the others."

"And, my Lord, if these claims prove to be the truth?"

"...Hm." The Yiga Lord simply shook his head. "Then we will do nothing. Let the Hero and Princess enjoy their time of peace, I will not risk all we've built just to settle some petty spite. Not yet anyway. We will continue to grow and prosper, let Ordona and Marsh squabble, let the Sheikah believe they can come back from the brink...And then, when they're all nice and comfortable, we will unleash _**hell** _unto them."

* * *

**A/N:**

**Hey, everyone!**

**Let me start off by saying I'm sorry that this Chapter took TWO months to release, despite being somewhat short.  
I have recently moved and was getting settled in this past month, as well as enjoying New Years and time with my family.**

**In truth, I've been working and reworking this chapter several times over, to the point it was originally two times as long. But as I kept writing, the less motivated and creative I became. So, in short, I'm just going to go ahead and wrap some of the big points up, polish and publish it, then start fresh in the next chapter.**

**I'm a bit worried that, due to all this, there was a drop in quality  
for this chapter, though I myself am happy with it.**

**Nevertheless, I do have some great ideas for the coming story. So stay tuned for that.  
**

**Peace out!**

* * *

**Next Chapter Preview:**

Sweat trickled down Sheikke's temple, swallowing nervously only to stop at the blade's point scraping his flesh. "Right...So, I know this looks bad-"

"Bit of an understatement." Arthur mused nonchalantly. Where the hell did he even get a sword? He was unarmed before, wasn't he? "Y'know, normally, peeping on a girl brings about a punishment similar to thievery. Where you lose _something_ important."

The Sheikah gulped, noticeably crossing his legs. "Let's...not go that far."

"Then what were you doing spying on me!?" Zelda snapped.

"I wasn't-"

The blade pressed closer to his throat. "Ah, no lies-"

"For Hylia's sake, I am not lying! I was keeping guard!" Sheikke yelled in frustration. "I want to protect her, damn it!"

* * *

**oXo**


	6. 1-6: Storm

**oXo**

* * *

**The Legend of Zelda: Routine Remastered  
****One Of The Legends**

**Act I: Aftermath  
****  
Chapter VI:  
"Storm"**

Royer was not one to scare easily, nor one to mull over something for an extended period of time.

But, damn it all, he could not let go of what the Hero and Princess had insinuated. As adamant as they had been at it being a coincidence, and boy were they adamant, he read their body language and the tone of their voices like open books. They spoke of his forefather as if they'd been acquainted, closely acquainted. One doesn't fake that level of intimacy of someone they'd supposedly seen a painting of. It was ludicrous!

Pushing aside the flap of his shared tent, he found his best friend sitting in bed reading, while Valon sat at his little desk scribbling on a document. Val gave him a cursory glance up from his book, eyebrow creasing upwards. "Something wrong, Tenn?"

"Nah, just tired." Royer replied, rubbing his eyes. He wandered over to his cot, unhooking his chain-whip from his waist and setting on the table before flopping down. "Ah...feels like we've been on the road for years."

"Eight months, sixteen days to be accurate." Valon piped in, not even looking up from his work. "Stop being so dramatic."

"Not all of us can get lost in our work like you do, Valon." He squinted at him. "What're you working on anyway?"

"Letters of Commerce, to be sent to all major settlements in Hyrule. Should help business once we're settled."

"And you're sure we'll be well off here?" Valenzuela questioned.

"...Yeah, I think so, the land's good, and so are the people." Royer shrugged, sitting up. "Gah, that reminds me, I need to write a letter to the Prince about the situation, we'll need a steady supply line set up if we're to make this whole thing work. Probably get a trade route going to Norvun and Hytopia while we're at it."

"Hm." Val chuckled, shaking his head. "Y'know, this makes me realize how far we've come. Wasn't too long ago we were pushing off Greeders and wild animals in the lowlands, monsters and such, remember that?"

"Oh yeah!" Royer laughed. "Goddesses, remember we had run out of armor? We had to chop trees and make fresh sets! The splinters alone made me wish for death!"

The laughter of reminiscing friends echoed in the night, followed by a rumble of thunder as dark clouds blotted the moon, casting the village in true darkness. The Ordonians remained oblivious to the two situations occurring not far from them, one within the confines of the village, and the other on the outskirts.

* * *

Well, this was _not_ how he was expecting his night to go.

"What is the meaning of this?" The Princess seemed to share his opinion, pointing at him.

Sweat trickled down Sheikke's temple, swallowing nervously only to stop at the blade's point scraping his flesh. "Right...So, I know this looks bad-"

"Bit of an understatement." Arthur mused nonchalantly. Where the hell did he even get a sword? He was unarmed before, wasn't he? "Y'know, normally, peeping on a girl brings about a punishment similar to thievery. Where you lose _something_ important."

The Sheikah gulped, noticeably crossing his legs. "Let's...not go that far."

"Then what were you doing spying on me!?" Zelda snapped.

"I wasn't-"

The blade pressed closer to his throat. "Ah, no lies-"

"For Hylia's sake, I am not lying! I was keeping guard!" Sheikke yelled in frustration. "I want to protect her, damn it!"

Silence hung in the room, the three of them breathing the only audible sounds. After a moment, light rain could be heard on the roof, before a crack of thunder boomed and lightning illuminated the room. Zelda's frown had deepened at his sudden confession, while Arthur cocked an inquisitive brow.

"Oh?"

"I..." He huffed. "I made a mistake, alright? Lady Impa already knows of it, and has advised me of a way to make reparations. I pay my debts by guarding the future of Hyrule from any and all threats."

"And you do so without informing us? A bit of oversight, if you ask me." Arthur brought his sword back a bit, allowing him room to breathe properly. "If I hadn't killed you first, you could bet Wild would. No amount of stealth nor debts owed would've deterred him, you especially should realize that."

"I do...I...well, I hadn't exactly planned on starting tonight. I couldn't sleep, so I...took up a guarding position and settled in for the night." He sat up straighter. "Though I might've moved on because of the rain. Only reason you heard me was because my foot slipped on the roof shingles."

"Hm...fair point." Arthur conceded, withdrawing his blade after a moment's consideration. He extended his hand to Sheikke, helping him to his feet. "Still, your error could've cost you your life, damn foolishly might I add." He crossed his arms underneath his cloak, mismatched eyes examining him head-to-toe. "Would've made that so-called mistake impossible to fix, though it does pique my curiosity."

"Mine, as well." Zelda remarked. "What could you have possibly done that warrants my safety as amends?"

"With all due respect, I'd rather not say, for fear for my life and the potential of working with you." Sheikke said, shaking his head. "However, I wish to be clear that I do not seek to replace your friends as your protectors, nor do I wish to join them at your side. I am a sheikah, an assassin highly trained in stealth and subterfuge. If anything, I will remain out of sight, acting as a guardian from the shadows."

"And this is what _you_ want?" The Princess asked, confused. "Surely there is something else you'd rather do."

"Princess, I've traveled for far too long. Done too much. And I'm still young by Sheikah standards." He sighed. "If anything, I'd like to wipe the slate clean, build something resembling a new life, and then, maybe one day, settle down with someone I hold dear to me."

"Ah, I see. So that's what this is about, love, of all things." Arthur shook his head. "Hmph, a bit cliche, it's a welcome change."

"Well, not exactly. I just feel...if I don't pay back my debts before settling down, they'll come back to haunt not just me, but my partner as well."

"And this significant other, are they..._involved_?"

"Not as much as I was, but yes, she was."

That was certainly interesting, and closed quite a few possibilities as to who he was and what he did. Arthur had a hunch, but didn't want to jump the gun like he always did in his youth. Besides, while he couldn't read minds or anything, he could tell Sheikke was telling the truth. He'd seen those eyes before, the regretful shade dulling their natural shine. Oh yes, it reminded him of himself, on many a occasion.

Besides, if he _was_ lying, he and Wild would probably just kick his ass.

"Princess," He turned to Zelda. "Your thoughts?"

To her credit, she paused to think it over. It wouldn't have been too long ago, from her point of view, that she would have denied his help outright, say that she can take care of herself just fine, thank you. Of course, with all the events that had transpired, she had thoroughly learned that it would take some time and hard work before she could confidently say that. But to bring, by all means, a total stranger into the fold, without consulting Link or anyone else for that matter.

Though, he claims that Impa trusts him, and what he said of his debts _sounded_ sincere. But assumption of the truth could lead to disaster if she were not careful. So what was she to do? It was times like these she wished her mother were still alive, she held far more wisdom in these situations than herself.

"Can you back up your claims, Sheikke?" She finally asked. "A decision like this cannot be made lightly."

"And," Arthur added. "You should know, this whole thing is a lot more complicated than simple protection. We are not particular favorites of destiny, to the point where often we're hounded, _hunted_, on a daily basis."

"Then I feel as if I should fit right in...I know the feeling of being hunted." Sheikke retorted neutrally. "I understand that faith in my word cannot be relied upon. So, to make up for it, I am willing to swear an oath right here, right now, down on my knees if I have to." There was fresh light in his eyes now, a fire, burning determination. "My service and life, sworn on my name and spirit."

Zelda, compassionate as she was, almost outright said that such an oath was not necessary. But her honest protest was silenced by Arthur's raised hand, the ancient Hero's eyes assessing the young Sheikah before him, pressing further. "_Your_ name and spirit?"

Sheikke bit his lip, eyes darting to the side, hesitant and contemplating before, true to his word, slowly dropping to his knees and bowing his head. The Princess cringed instinctively at the display, while Arthur's gaze remained dispassionate on him. Their eyes boring into him, he simply recited what he could.

"I swear on the name and love of my partner, Cypha, as well as my own." He exhaled deeply. "And that is furthest I will go when it comes to her. Only my spirit is on the table for this, and, by the Goddesses, if that isn't enough, I will make a blood pact, a seal of protection, anything damn it. But leave her out of it. _I_ need to do this. Just me, not-"

A gentle hand resting on shoulder stopped him. He thought it might've been the old hero, with how close the Arthur had been to him, but the white hem of a dress in the upper peripherals of his vision said otherwise, as well as the soft voice that followed.

"I accept."

* * *

Hyrule was never exactly progressive when it came to mental well-being. When problems of the mind were the issue, self-therapy was more-often-than-not the best solution one could reasonably afford. Some did simple things, like cooking or cleaning, others put it toward a hobby of sorts.

**BA**_**-BOOM!**_

For Link, the Hero of the Wild, however? Blowing stuff up hardly counted as a hobby, but damn, was it cathartic.

His thrilled laughter and cheering echoed through valley leading towards Mount Lanayru, heard only by the slumbering animals nestled in the cliffside, as did the numerous explosions that generally interspersed said bouts of mirth. Sometimes he wondered who even left these barrels full of hilariously explosive materials just lying around, but then again, he was never one to look a gift horse in the mouth, especially when it helped him through his issues.

His laughter trailed off into chuckles as he watched the shattered cliff-side tumble down into the river with a huge splash, a pleasant buzz of thrill in his chest as he rounded about to grab his last two barrels.

Issues that, might he add, were not as bad as they could be.

He'd discussed it at length with Arthur and Mipha, especially Mipha. When the Calamity struck, he'd been forced through one trauma after another, culminating in his near death. Which then led to his, and his companions', eventual resurrection barring their memories. Now, here he was, with only a few memories of his old life, and a fear that those select few may be being the only recollection he'd ever truly have of before.

He knew he had fought hard, and honestly, he was surprised he wasn't a broken mess of a man.

He had his friends to thank for that, and Arthur, of course.

But, damn it all, when he'd seen that memory of Royer's ancestor, and heard the word "uncle", he'd really hoped it would've been more than an honorary connection. In the end, Link longed for family of some kind. Not to discredit Arthur, he was family too, but from a different era all together. It didn't feel real, if that made any sense.

Then again, _he_ was from a different era too, wasn't he?

So maybe he was just being selfish.

He watched the final explosions of the night go off, the thundering booms echoing in tandem with the booming thunder, lightning crackling in the night sky as rain began to pour down on him. He didn't laugh this time, but he wasn't sad. Rather, he was contemplating something deeply, even as the rain poured down his face, sapphire eyes glinting with clarity as he looked skyward.

"I'm being selfish, aren't I?"

* * *

"Come on! Move it, move it!"

Royer hollered as his charges went to and fro, packing their belongings into the wagons. He wore a brown cloak, a hood tossed over his messy blue hair, keeping him relatively dry from the heavy rainfall. "Hurry it up! We gotta get a move on if we're to make it before nightfall!"

"Think this rain'll let up soon?" Valenzuela stood by his side, wearing a similar cloak. "The road's getting muddier by the minute."

"Doubt it." Royer huffed, ushering a few stray kids towards their parents. "It'll be a pain in the ass, but we've traveled through worse. Far worse." Valon called to them both from their own wagon, at the same time Royer caught a glimpse of the Princess and her group approaching from the village. "Go see what he needs, Val."

His friend nodded and marched off, while Royer turned just as Zelda called to him. "Good morning, Royer!"

"To you as well, Lady Zelda." He returned, shaking the rain off his cloak. He wasn't surprised to see they also came bearing similar protection from the elements, though Arthur still wore his dark cloak. "Though, I much wish it was less of a dreary one."

"The storm did come in quick last night, didn't it? Reckon it'll last a day or two, at least." Arthur commented, looking skyward for a moment before dropping his gaze back to him, and the caravan past him. "Though I see you're still looking to head out."

"Yeah, it's gonna be a pain with the roads being wet." Royer shrugged. "But we're not gonna let a little mud stop us, we'll be just fine. What about you three, you gonna tag along? We'll need help to turn that old ranch into a proper outpost by winter."

"I'm afraid not. We were planning on heading back home for the time being, but we will certainly visit and help if we can." Zelda promised, bowing her head. "Until then, we wish you safe travels."

"yeah. Oh, and hey, if you get past Twin Peaks and into Hyrule Field, most of the main road is stone." Link piped in thoughtfully. "Not all of it, mind. But it gets easier the closer you are to the Castle."

"Really? Thanks for the heads up." Royer waved. "May your roads be clearer than ours."

With that, they watched as the blue-haired Hylian expertly barked and ordered the caravan into movement, the wagon train slowly rounding about in the area in front of Kakariko's gate, before heading on their way towards central Hyrule. Thunder crackled as the last wagon faded from view, causing the trio to look upwards in worry.

"Well, princess, if you want to get back home today, we might wanna leave now. This storm ain't letting up easy." Arthur voiced the obvious, folding his arms beneath his cloak. "Probably should've brought our own wagon, or at least horses."

"It's not _that_ long a walk to Hateno." Link replied flatly. "But we could use the slate to warp there if it's that much of a problem."

"Hm...I've never used that function, is it safe?" Zelda frowned.

"Er...yes?" The younger Hero answered uneasily, rubbing the back of his head. "You might want to forego breakfast though, it'll make you throw up otherwise."

"Ah." She muttered simply, frowning down at the piece of technology attached to her hip. "...Well, I suppose I might as well get it over with."

"Ooh, this is not gonna be good." Arthur uttered dreadfully.

"And what about our plus one?" Link, on the other hand, frowned as he looked off to the side. Perhaps he was looking to where Sheikke was, hidden from the untrained eye. When informed of the new addition to their group, he hadn't outright rejected the assassin's inclusion, but remained overly cautious in spite of it. "We gonna just leave him here?"

"Of course not." Zelda chided, brow slightly furrowed at his sour tone. She cleared her throat and called out. "Sheikke!"

Link's eyes flicked upwards, following an unseen movement, before backing up as the young Sheikah landed deftly before them, then standing to his full height, expression guarded in such a way that reminded her of Link's original attitude. He bowed his head very slightly in greeting, face and hair wet with rain, though it didn't appear to bother him.

"Yes, Princess?"

She smiled at him. "We're going to travel to Hateno Village using this-" She held up the slate for him to see. "-it's called the Sheikah Slate, and one of it's many functions is the ability to warp to different places, like Hateno."

_So that's what that thing is._ Sheikke stared at the item for several moments, recalling it from his scrape with Link the previous day and the many stories of defeat his former comrades would try to spin in their favor. "And...this warping...is it safe?"

"Just explained it to the Princess, it is, but-" Arthur indicated to his abdomen, waving his hand in circular manner. "-your stomach is probably gonna be doing fucking backflips on ya afterwards."

"So I hope you haven't had breakfast, it'll save you the trouble." Link added, deadpan.

"I...uh...haven't yet, no."

"Then you'll be fine, let's go."

With an affirmative nod, Zelda pulled up the map on the slate and tapped the icon for monk Myahm Agana's shrine in Hateno. As it asked for confirmation, they all grabbed onto the slate's edge, and with a final blip, it began to glow an ethereal blue. For Link and Arthur, they paid no mind to the odd sensations that followed, but for Zelda and Sheikke, they couldn't help but feel a pang of horror shoot up their spines as what could only feel like pure lightning shot up from the tips of their toes to the top of their heads. Goosebumps dotted their arms, a rapidly changing mix of hot and cold enveloping them as the light from the slate traveled up and onto their bodies, slowly enshrouding them.

Soon, all they could see was the blue light, then they felt _light_, almost weightless, like bits and pieces of themselves was being stripped away. For a split second, they felt nothing at all. Then, a heavy bout of vertigo and horrific nausea hit them like a train as all feeling returned, their original surroundings of Kakariko now replaced with Hateno. Finally, with a low whirring noise, the slate finished the warping process.

And Zelda fell right on her bottom, light-headed and breathing heavily. "...oh...goddesses..."

Sheikke was doing no better, leaning hard on the shrine's pedestal, blinking rapidly. "World's...w-world's...going dark...real dark..."

Watching them fumble, seeming quite unfazed, Link just sighed. "C'mon, Arthur, let's get them to the house."

"Yep."

In uncharacteristic fashion, his ancestor forewent the snark, leading their sheikah companion carefully down the hill while Link followed carrying the Princess on his back. The front yard was a mess, probably only because of sheer boredom rather than a logical reason. Stepping over upturned soil, scorch marks, and crushed flowers, they unceremoniously kicked the front door open.

"We're home!" Link called out, heading to the dining table and gently setting the princess down in chair. "Easy, just rest."

"Welcome back!" Mipha was the first to greet them, leaning over the railing from up in the loft. Her golden eyes widened slightly at the scene. "Goodness, what happened to them?"

"Nothing bad, just their first warping." Arthur waved her off.

"Ah, I see." She nodded in complete understanding, coming down the stairs. "Best get them some water, then. Have they eaten anything?"

"Nope, asked them that specifically." Link said, shaking his head. "Didn't want a repeat of Revali's first go at it."

Humming her own affirmative, Mipha went about getting them both a glass of water. Link shrugged off his hylian-made cloak and sat at the table with them, letting himself dry off. While Arthur didn't remove his cloak, he dropped his hood and stood leaning on the kitchen counter, packing his smoking pipe. "Where's everyone else?"

"Asleep, we stayed up pretty late last night." The Zora Princess yawned as if to illustrate her point, setting out the water for Zelda and Sheikke, taking a moment to study the latter. "And who's this?"

"This is Sheikke, a new addition to our motley crew." Arthur said, leaning over the counter to light his pipe with a candle.

"Sheikke? Like a Sheikah?"

"Y-yeah..." The man in question answered, nodding slowly as to not agitate the headache he was experiencing, shakily sipping the water gifted to him.

"Hm, well, welcome Sheikke." She gave a gentle smile. "My name's Mipha, I'm our group's healer, so come to me if you're ever feeling under the weather. I'm sure you'll be happy staying with us."

"I'm...feeling under the w-weather..." He repeated dumbly, cradling his head in his arms. "...Just...k-kill me, please...You bastards didn't m-mention a headache."

"Being honest, they probably forgot about it. It's been some time since we've had to deal with this, though the nausea is normally far worse than the headache." Mipha laughed lightly, walking to stand behind him, hand glowing a soft azure. "And I'm afraid I can't do that, but I can ease a headache just fine."

"Thanks..." His voice was muffled, though his shoulders relaxed noticeably.

"And what about you, princess? How you holding up?" Arthur brought attention to the young Royal.

"...I don't...know the _polite_ word for it." She said, far more clearly than Sheikke did. That was good, that she was handling it so well. "That was...an unpleasant experience. Though I am no stranger to them."

"So how would you rate it?" Link asked jokingly. "Scale from one to ten?"

"About...an eight." She replied, a small smile creasing her lips as she rubbed her temples. "And that's between first riding a horse and keeping Calamity Ganon at bay."

"_That's_ your scale?" Arthur chortled. "Well, know that there's room for improvement, darling."

"_**It's much better than our's**_." Midna added happily.

"_That's not a good thing._" He muttered through his teeth.

"So..." Mipha gave Sheikke a gentle pat on the shoulder before taking her own seat. "Did anything else happen at Kakariko? How's Paya and lady Impa doing?"

"Well...a number of things actually." Link clicked his tongue. "On one hand, Hyrule might be on the road to recovery sooner than we thought."

"Oh? Well that's good, isn't it?"

"Yeah, but on the other hand, our vacation just got a whole lot shorter."

* * *

**[Meanwhile...]**

"Damn rain, thank Norvun these parts don't rust as easily as the exterior." Standing over the small group, the scarred man snapped. "C'mon! Hurry up you worthless maggots, or there won't be a hot meal waiting for you when the day's done!"

"Hey, calm down, Thorn, they're going as fast as they can." The younger man beside him frowned, watching the group of workers sympathetically. "Been working without rest for hours, going on a few days now, traveling here to ass-end of Norvun, we outta be giving them more breaks."

"Breaks means no work gets done, Gage." The man hissed, his left eye milky-white and bulging almost out of the socket. In his left hand was a whip, which he was more than willing to use. "You can't be soft on 'em, kid. It means we don't get paid, which means our employer don't get their cut, which means we _starve_. Is that what you want? For us to starve!?"

The brunette stared back, brow slightly creased with indecision, before grumbling. "No..."

"Then get your damn head in the game, work 'em hard and crack the whip. It'll motivate them."

"Right, whatever." He, of course, paid no mind to the suggestion, deplorable as they were.

He tried not to think of how it all came down to this, how they became what they were, monsters in all but name.

"Oi! Mr. Thorn! Mr. Thorn!" One of the workers came up, _'workers'_, because servants or slaves sounded too harsh. The poor guy was just a kid, about sixteen or seventeen, with dirt and debris caking his face and dark bags under his eyes. "Miss Mute has sent us new orders, sir."

"Gimme that." Thorn snatched the letter without care, sending the kid scuttling backwards. "Now go on, get back to work!"

As the worker scurried away, Gage walked over as Thorn opened the letter. The penmanship was unmistakable for their higher-up, though it was apparently inscribed with great speed. "Hm...Well, I'll be damned. Apparently, there's a massive new supply of old sheikah parts, just ready to be taken!"

Gage frowned. "I find that difficult to believe, we've already scavenged the majority across the map. Not unless...No..."

"Yes...yes, indeed. People are getting into Hyrule now. Damned wind must've stopped. Hell, says here Ordona sent a whole trading caravan." Thorn chuckled. "All those parts, right from the source. Hehe, we'll be rich beyond our wildest dreams, Gage."

At this, the younger turned to look at the workers, tirelessly digging and scrapping the mechanical husk of one of the Sheikah machines, one of the few that had ever come outside Hyrule before the so-called Calamity barred anyone from passage a century ago. Whether the stories were true, he really didn't care, but it did sound promising.

"Hyrule, huh?" He nodded firmly. "How long 'till we move out?"

* * *

**A/N:**

**Greetings from Quarantine!**

**First off, I'd like to say I hope you guys are well and fine.**  
**I myself am doing great and hope that everyone else continues  
to be healthy and safe in ****the face of this pandemic.**

**Anyway, I hope you enjoyed this latest chapter.  
I would've finished it sooner, but with Doom Eternal, Animal Crossing, and Half Life: Alyx  
releasing back-to-back, I was pretty busy breezing through those to write.**

**Once again, I'm a little shaky on the quality, but I might just be paranoid so I don't know.  
I'm experimenting with these neat ideas I've got, some original, others inspired by different  
games and shows I've seen recently. Nothing drastic like _Routine_ did, but subtle details.**

**I'm actually using the Arc format as an advantage when it comes to this,  
so I'm thankful I gave myself that advantage, especially to  
keep everything orderly and neat like it is.**

**For example, we might not hear from Cypha and **  
**the Yiga for quite some time, now that Gage and Thorn's**  
**guardian scavenging group has been introduced.**

**Thanks for reading,  
I hope you stick around to see what happens!  
**

**Peace out!**

* * *

**Next Chapter Preview:**

Thinking on all the details was, might she say, a refreshing use of her mind. For some reason, it just felt right to be doing something so productive to a greater cause. Maybe managing a kingdom wasn't all that bad. "So..." She set down the slate for them to see the map. "If we're to establish a proper trading post with the Ordonians, we'll obviously need to get trade underway. Not just from other kingdoms, but from the provinces and major settlements here in Hyrule."

"So what you're saying is...?" Revali tested.

"We're going on a road-trip, feathers." Arthur simplified with a shrug.

"Sounds good to me," Link sat up in his chair. "I've been bored out of my skull sitting around here doing nothing but training and fishing."

"I'm insulted." His ancestor retorted with mock-hurt.

"Why..." Urbosa muttered, watching the two of them begin to bicker. "-am I getting such a bad feeling about this?"

* * *

**oXo**


	7. 1-7: Finale Pt 1 - Hope

**oXo**

* * *

**The Legend of Zelda: Routine Remastered  
One Of The Legends**

**Act I: Aftermath**

**Chapter ****VII****:  
****"Finale; Part I: Hope  
(For a Better Tomorrow)"**

_Thunk!_

"Looks dead to me."

"Hit it again."

_Thunk! Thunk! Clang!_

"Yeah, it's dead. Or whatever passes for it." Royer sniffed, standing up and brushing the front of his trousers off. He took a moment to regard the deactivated Sheikah machine sitting on the main road, looking pristine as the rain made it gleam, unlike the rusted shells they'd seen elsewhere. "You could probably get some good coin stripping it down."

"Don't they deal in Rupees here? Though I guess the point still stands." Val scrunched his nose, looking about. "But I'd rather not spend another second in a place as dead as this." That was one word for it, especially when describing the husk of what once was the great kingdom of Hyrule.

"Certainly has seen better days." Royer shared the sentiment, frowning slightly as he joined in taking in their surroundings before they continued up to the massive stone wall. Passing through the decrepit gate, they strolled down into the heart of Castle Town, stopping at the foot of an old fountain, long aged and dried up.

"Looks like it was all rigid and orderly before, nothing like home."

"Well, there ain't really nothing like home." Ordona was a kingdom very much in tune with its origins as a ranching and farming village, and its people were very happy to coexist with nature. Big and small wooden houses, some built into trees and hills, each one comfortable and homely in it's own way. There were days you could sit by the riverside, close your eyes, and feel like you were just lost in nature.

Hyrule, on the other hand, seemed almost oppressive by comparison. While without a doubt no fault of its own, the stone wall sitting in ruins, as the towering silhouette of the castle and the surrounding monoliths sat in the background, it just looked _wrong_. There was a nasty feeling, like something perpetually hung over the land, a twisted malice, a hatred.

Guess that's what happens when an eldritch behemoth straight from the depths of hell drops right in the middle of it all, then razes everything.

Hyrule closing off a hundred years ago was a critical event in the history of the world, though the true reason seemed to vary, beyond the truth of the Calamity. At the time, being in the central province, all trade was disrupted and it fell to the eastward Hytopia to take up the mantle of Trade-hub. Ordona and Norvun both shared in the power-gap left in the political realm, and Marsh's military might easily trumped all others.

This, combined with everyone's preparations for the Calamity to escape Hyrule, led to power grabs by the latter when no such threat came. The short-ears hit real hard the first time, but Ordona naturally tenacious, like its founders, and with minor support from Norvun and Hytopia, pushed them back. The second time around however, they were far more vicious, and the other kingdoms had to directly intervene.

Royer hadn't been involved in either, but his father had been a squire in the second, and his grandfather had been an knight-errant, a wandering warrior, in the first. Both conflicts were bloody, pointless messes, staining the history of both kingdoms. Luckily, once the conflict had come to an end, the Marshking was replaced by a far more fair and just Council. There were still squabbles these days, but nothing compared to then.

Nowadays, monsters and bandits were about the only real problems across the world, though the peace was fragile as a frozen lake in early spring.

As for Hyrule, Royer did see the appeal of the land. It was beautiful, though he could probably attribute that to nature reclaiming what was left abandoned after the Calamity. "I wouldn't mind getting a Fief here." Val mused as they mounted their horses and rode back towards the ranch, where the convoy had proceeded to while they peeled off to check out Castle Town for themselves. "Land's good, pretty too."

"I imagine it's far better than what it was before we got here, with monsters still running about." The Hylian ran a hand through his blue hair. "But with none of those around, I've not seen any, problem's probably gonna be with bandits. We ain't the only ones who're eyeing this land up, I can tell you that right now."

"Winter and Malo said as much, didn't they?"

"Well, they're prophetic like that."

"So where do think the monsters went? They said it was mainly Bokoblins, Moblins, Lizaflos, and the like."

"Probably hiding in caves and other dark nooks like rodents." Royer shrugged, he never had a high opinion of monsters, barring the Bulbin hordes that roamed Ordona's forests and lowlands. "All I know is that we should remain vigilant, won't do to have you brained by some sniveling beast's club, now would it?"

"Very funny." Val nodded with a small smile. Both held silent in their thoughts for a minute or so, approaching the ranch soon after. Their caravan had moved into the center corral, wagons circled tightly together. The plenitude of farmers, traders, hunters, and other settlers they would need down the line were comfortably encircled in such a way that they could stay close and safe, mostly to wait out the continuous downpour that had assaulted them all the way to their new home.

The whole ranch was like the town, a mere husk of what it once was years before. The buildings were crumbling, old wooden supports rotten and laid to waste, the majority decayed to nothing more than kindling. The fences were missing huge sections, old and falling apart just like the houses. The only things remotely standing, albeit in total ruin, were some faint outlines of the foundations and a single stone building off in the far corner. A sign hung at the entrance, writing worn and faded, '_Lon Lon Ranch_'. One of the intact Sheikah constructs was splayed out across some of the rubble, they would need to haul it off or break it down into parts.

Oh yes, this was gonna take a lot of work.

"You _really_ think we can make something of this, Tenn?" Val asked.

Royer frowned as the sound of rolling thunder and another flash of lightning ran over them, his answer halted as the sound continued. No, it wasn't thunder, something else was vibrating the very air with it's mere presence. A great rumble, not of thunder, but of something vastly bigger. Together, their gazes went skyward as a shadow loomed over them, eyes wide in awe as they a sight straight from a legend.

A dragon, red in color, ablaze with roaring flames that paid no mind to the downpour. It twisted and turned, flying against all logic, before letting out a mighty roar that almost seemed to part the clouds, as the rain halted, for but a moment.

Royer smiled, not daring to look away until the red dragon flew off towards the large mountain in the north-east.

"I think so, Val..."

* * *

Zelda hoped the rain would stop soon, though the pattering on the roof and the occasional roar of thunder was oddly comforting. A curtain of rain could be seen just outside the window, shimmering as the sun peeked through the clouds every now and again. It proved useful in helping her think more clearly, on the various events that were transpiring.

Thinking on all the details was, might she say, a refreshing use of her mind. For some reason, it just felt right to be doing something so productive to a greater cause. Maybe managing a kingdom wasn't all that bad. "So..." She set down the slate for them to see the map. "If we're to establish a proper trading post with the Ordonians, we'll obviously need to get trade underway. Not just from other kingdoms, but from the provinces and major settlements here in Hyrule."

"So what you're saying is...?" Revali tested.

"We're going on a road-trip, feathers." Arthur simplified with a shrug.

"Sounds good to me," Link sat up in his chair. "I've been bored out of my skull sitting around here doing nothing but training and fishing."

"I'm insulted." His ancestor retorted with mock-hurt.

"Why..." Urbosa muttered, watching the two of them begin to bicker. "-am I getting such a bad feeling about this?"

"Well, I can't say I wasn't feeling somewhat bored too." Mipha agreed politely.

"With that, I concur. Though I've enjoyed the time off, I've longed to do something truly productive, no matter what it is."

"I imagine you were thinking research, not building a trading post, little bird." Urbosa teased, smiling.

"Regrettably, yes." She conceded with a faint smile.

Zelda looked back up to her companions. It was around midday, a few hours after they'd returned from Kakariko. They'd spent some time catching the Champions up on current events, the opening of Hyrule, the Ordonians, and the introduction of their new member. Sheikke had dismissed himself a few minutes in and, despite their protests, instead headed outside to stand guard. Thankfully, Arthur said he had posted himself under the tree, so he wouldn't get too soaked out there.

"Does this mean we're moving to the Castle?" Daruk questioned, stroking his mane of a beard. "While I'm fine with that, Hateno's kinda grown on me. It's nice and quiet here."

"After all the effort and money I spent on this place, you better believe we're not moving." Link said, pausing, then nodding to her. "Though, I guess that's up to the Princess."

At their collective looks, she merely shrugged. "I hadn't considered it, if that's what you're wondering."

"That-" Arthur added, filling his smoking pipe. "-and the fact that Castle Town is not the priority. The Ordonains just want to get the outpost up and running, and that'll take some doing as-is. If anything, they'll be working on repairing the old Ranch and adding onto that."

"Wouldn't it be safer to reside inside the Castle then? Or the Town Ruins? It's still an option, even if we don't want to move in there."

"With the walls crumbling? Too much work, not enough people. Besides, Darknuts are strong, but I didn't count enough to fortify and reliably defend such a large structure and area." He blew out a cloud of smoke, eyes closed in thought. "It'd be one _big_ target, with fewer ways of escaping should they be attacked. From a military and safety standpoint, it's safer and more reliable if they were to start small, work on the ranch, build the outpost. Then, once we get more people and funds for the cause, move onto the Town and Castle."

Zelda narrowed her eyes, nodding slightly. It made sense, his knowledge on the subject without a doubt a result of his time spent building Ordona from a small farming town into a prosperous kingdom. While monster sightings had been reduced immensely since their defeat of Calamity Ganon, it didn't mean there were still dangers to be wary of, perhaps even human dangers like the Yiga; Bandits and such, though they were few in number a century ago.

Things, of course, have undoubtedly changed since then. With the wars of Ordona and Marsh, it was obvious. If anything, they needed to have a long discussion with the Ordonians about just what they've all missed these past one-hundred years.

Once the rain let up, they'd be on their way.

* * *

**[Meanwhile...]**

Hyrule hadn't exactly been on his bucket list, but it sure would be nice to visit a land untouched by the outside world since last century. Elder Quill told him stories of the ancient land, where it all began. Where the Hylians descended from sky-dwellers, became embroiled in bloody civil wars. fractured and reformed. Hytopia and Marsh had both been products of these wars, for better and worse respectively, though he'd never experienced the true 'Hyrulean experience' or however it went.

Gage let his head loll backwards, resting against the trunk of a shady tree, trying to ease his thoughts and enjoy the day. His partner, bless his soul, had fallen asleep, as evidenced by the small body curled up to his side. With a thin smile, he ruffled their messy mop of black hair, earning a groan from the five year old.

"Really?" The Norvunian looked up, having not heard the approach of the woman standing before him, her sharp hazel eyes glaring at him. "I say spend some time with the boy and you just take him to the lake for a nap?"

"Well, Sarah, contrary to that idea, while not a bad one, you may notice the fishing lines sitting just a few feet in front of us." He motioned to said lines with his foot, leaning back as he smirked at her. "Only problem is, ain't nothing biting today. Been waiting 'bout a damn hour."

The sleeping boy roused at their conversation, blinking blearily as he looked up and saw her. "Hey, auntie."

A smile tugged at Sarah's lips. "Hey, Thomas. You ready to go home?"

"Already?" He seemed to pout in his exhaustion. "Uncle Gage and I were gonna catch fish."

"I know, but your daddy needs to talk with Uncle Gage." Her gaze switched to Gage at that, eyes narrowed. "He seemed quite...irritable."

"What else is new?" Gage just sighed, running a hand through his rose-brown hair. He motioned for Thomas to get up, the kid giving some muted complaints but inevitably did as instructed, walking over to his aunt while rubbing the sleep from his eyes. Gage grabbed their fishing lines, reeling them in, and carried them to their waiting horses. Arwen, his blood bay mare, gave a snort of acknowledgement as he walked past. He returned the greeting by running a hand along her mane. "Thorn say anything specific on why he wanted to see me?"

Sarah shrugged, lifting Thomas onto the saddle of her horse before mounting up herself. "He seemed mad about something, though like you said, he's always been like that."

"Well, ever since Quill died, that is." Gage waved off.

"I scarcely remember that time, back when he was running things."

"He was a harsh and greedy bastard, but he cared for everyone in Neraphim. Everyone was his family, and he wanted best for them." The Norvunian's brow creased, slowly petting Arwen as he went through his memories of that. "Mute's ambitious and a fine leader, but she lacks compassion."

"That much is evident with the..._workers_." Sarah mused. She looked to him. "I know you hate it as much as I do, so why stay?"

He met her gaze coldly. "Why do you stay, Sarah?"

"You know the reason." Her eyes flicked to Thomas. "Now you."

"Well, it's profitable, for one." He shrugged. Admitting to his love of money was a sure thing, he never aspired to be anything more than a soldier of fortune. "The other reasons are my own, so I'd suggest you don't pry further."

"Whatever you say." She just rolled her eyes again, tugging on the reins. "I'll take the boy home, you go see Thorn. And stay out of trouble, you hear?"

"No promises."

He urged Arwen forward and away from the lake, riding just behind Sarah and Thomas for a few moments before they came to a split in the road, where they went their separate ways. Thomas, now up and awake, waved to him as they rode away. "Bye, Uncle Gage!"

"Later, Thomas! Don't give your aunt any more gray hairs, alright?"

"Bite me!" Sarah called without looking back, making Thomas laugh at her expense.

Gage just smiled, nudging Arwen up towards the west side of town.

Karthlon wasn't exactly his ideal vision of home, he preferred a camp out in the open country, but his group had made it their unofficial base. And boy, their presence had done wonders for the place. It started out as a shanty town, on the edge of a lake polluted with copper, sulfur, and other materials that had been seeping into it. But once the infamous Neraphim moved in, got the lake cleaned up, reopened the mines, business started booming. It went from shacks and tents to buildings and mansions, a commercial hub that provided a important trade link between Hytopia and Norvun.

Made their inevitable comeuppance take a rain check, given their public support. Nobody on the side of law and order could touch them. They could've gone straight, even. There was something about a normal life, maybe as a hunter or fishmonger, that sounded nice to him, though he doubted he would stick to it, not much profit there, you see.

But Mute refused to leave that life behind, and Neraphim were slaves to her wishes.

Not him though, he was nobody's slave.

But she paid, so that was good enough for him.

He rode on, dirt road turning to paved stone, Arwen's hooves clopping in rhythm as they past stalls, shops, and the crowds flowing between them. His attention was split from the way forward and his sides, where he watched carefully for a sneaky hand reaching for his satchel or his saddlebags. Wisely, none seemed to dare go for it, so he continued on. People called to him and waved, greetings he sometimes returned with a nod or a wave of his own, though he never responded vocally.

Soon, he arrived at his destination, seated comfortably in the town square, 'The Chair'.

Once, it was a courthouse; single-story, bare bones, only the essentials. Once Neraphim had arrived to this town and the following economic boom ensued, they had a much nicer one built just across the square. Two-stories, gilded furniture, a solid-bronze statue of their patron god, Norvun, towering over any and all visitors in the foyer. It was quite the gift, and you can bet the lawmakers were appreciative.

The old courthouse was then renovated and turned into Neraphim's essential base of operations, where Lady Mute ruled from her lynel-skin chair, hence the name. She claimed to have killed the beast herself, but everyone knew she was lying (as Lynels were native to Hyrule and hadn't been seen in a hundred years or more).

After dismounting and hitching Arwen, Gage quietly entered the building, though it seemed deserted. He continued through the foyer and through two doors, before descending a flight of stairs that were put in after they took over. Soon, he came to a carved wood door, a magnificent work of craftsmanship. Mute claims to have carved it, but everyone knew it was the bumpkin woodcutter she had imprisoned three months ago.

Thinking on it, Mute sure liked to lie about things.

He considered knocking, but then opted to throw the door wide open inside. This elicited a surprised, then angered reaction from the two individuals inside. Thorn, sitting with that scowl forever etched into his features, and Lady Mute, the disgraced Zora maiden who slammed her palms upon her desk and began to lash out in fury.

"What impertinence is this!?" She snapped, amber eyes glowing with disdain. "I did not call for you, Gage!"

"Yeah, but he did." He inclined his head to Thorn. Mute's angered glare turned to the scarred man at once.

He coughed. "Hrm...Yes, I did, though-"

"Is this about Hyrule?"

"...Yes, yes it is." Mute gave a huff, sitting back down in her chair. She took a deep breath and motioned for him to sit. "Time is of the essence, so I shall be brief. We need to bring in a large shipment of sheikah tech in these coming months, and keep a steady supply until the winter. We've been offered more than thrice the previous offer for each piece scavenged."

"And who the hell is buying this junk?"

"Several groups, though they prefer to remain anonymous. You know how things are."

Gage folded his arms, he knew this game alright. "And the catch?"

"We won't be the only one's out there scavenging." Thorn grumbled, stroking his beard. "Hyrule is essentially a gold rush, and we're merely another competitor vying for the prize."

"So we'll have to stake our claim early." Mute declared. "You and Thorn shall go to Hyrule with a group of thirty-five workers_-"_

"Slaves."

"_Workers_." She snapped. "While Thorn manages the scavenging operation, you shall take out any rivals that cross your path."

"Sounds dandy, but also like a revolt waiting to happen."

"Not this group. One of our employers supplied us with some binders; the so-called neck-ties." Thorn chuckled. "One hint of betrayal or escaping, and _POP_! Haha! It'll be a cakewalk, kid!"

Gage glared at him through his hair, a hand coming up idly to brush it back. "And how much are you paying me for this, Mute?"

Mute gave him a look of faux-offence. "Why Gage, whatever happened to loyalty? Doing it for the family?"

He let out a low chuckle, standing to his full height. "My _loyalty_ to you and this family died with Quill." Leaning over the table on his palms, his eyes narrowed as he stared Mute right in the face. "So allow me to repeat, my lady; How _much_ are you paying me?"

* * *

Zelda looked down at herself, lips pursed in assessment at her new attire.

The red Hylian Tunic she now wore wasn't nearly as comfortable or lightweight than her Champion's Tunic, sewn by her own hands. It was heavier, far more suited to combat than exploration. For a moment, she sifted through her memory to try and remember where she had left her tunic a century ago. She couldn't remember any specifics, thanks to the events that had transpired, but she knew it was most likely in Hyrule Castle, if only because she remembered leaving for Mount Lanayru in her ceremonial white dress.

"Almost ready, Princess?" Mipha walked up into the loft. She wore her Champion's garb, a non-constricting blue sash. "Revali, Arthur, and Link should be back with the horses at any moment."

"...Yes, one moment." She said, turning and grabbing the satchel she had purchased weeks ago from her bed and the Sheikah Slate from the desk. Throwing the former on and clipping the latter onto her belt, she grabbed the spell tomes Arthur gave her and stored them in the satchel. "Alright, let's go."

"Hm, is something troubling you, Princess?" Mipha asked as they descended the stairs.

"Oh no, no. Just thinking about things. Everything is happening so fast."

"I understand. I imagine things will be quite hectic soon." She patted her on the arm. "But I have faith in you, Princess."

"I appreciate it." She said with a smile, and she meant it.

The rain had stopped a few hours ago, but they still joined Daruk and Urbosa underneath the canopy outside the front door. As Mipha said, Arthur, Revali, and Link had gone to retrieve the group's horses from the Dueling Peaks Stable, and a wagon for Daruk, who could not ride a horse without crushing the poor thing.

Zelda looked around, trying to spot Sheikke, wherever he may be. It took a bit of scrutinizing her surroundings, but she eventually caught sight of him perched in the large nearby tree. He was hidden well into the canopy, but had a good line of sight over the bridge and entrance of the house. For a moment, his red eyes met her's, to which he gave a nod of acknowledgement before going back on lookout.

She frowned, being reminded of when Link was first assigned to her as her guardian. Stoic and always alert, she had ignorantly thought he was one of her many naysayers. She didn't hold that belief with Sheikke, but she also didn't want to have another silent guardian. It bothered her in a personal manner. That nod had been his only interaction with her since they came from Kakariko.

She saw someone approaching from the bridge, so she made a note to talk to him when she had the chance.

It was Arthur, with Revali close behind. The former's hood was up and he seemed troubled. "You all ready?"

"Yes, something wrong?" Urbosa asked.

"Nah, just...hm..." He looked off into the distance. "We saw a few riders on the road. They had short, pointed ears, looked like Marshmen."

"They weren't friendly?" She raised an eyebrow.

"They gave us a few cross looks, sure. I think they came from the road to Ordona, but I don't know."

"Where's Link?"

"He saw Beedle at the gate, stayed behind to talk to him, said he'll link up with us when we pass by."

"Beedle?" Zelda swore she'd heard that name before, perhaps in the Sheikah Slate?

"Travelling Merchant, he's cool if a bit...odd." Revali mused.

"I've known way weirder, so don't worry about that." Arthur waved to the hidden Sheikke, who jumped down to join them. "Alright, if you're all set, we should get a move on. We should be able to get there before sundown. Sheikke, there's some riders from Marsh on the road, so you're riding shotgun with me."

"And the Princess?" The Sheikah frowned.

"She's riding."

They crossed the bridge and walked to the main road, where the horses and wagon waited. Urbosa and Mipha climbed onto the same spotted horse, while Revali and Daruk climbed into the wagon. Arthur hopped into the driver's seat, reaching down and taking Sheikke's hand, pulling him up to join him. For Zelda, she was directed to a white horse, with a familiar saddle and bridle.

Though the stallion didn't seem to recognize her at all, she knew her horse when she saw him.

"Hero." She said, running her hand through his mane. "But...how..?"

"Hate to be the bearer of bad news, but that ain't your horse." Arthur said. "Might be its descendant, maybe."

"...I thought as much. Hero died getting me to safety during the Calamity, as did Link's horse."

"Sorry, it's a damn shame, losing a horse."

"Thank you, I promise I'll take care of him." She looked to Arthur. "What's his name?"

"I didn't name him, Wild did."

"Well, what did he name him?"

"Rhoam."

Zelda paused, slowly looking to the white stallion. She felt a pang in her heart, for things she'd lost. But, eventually, she smiled and patted his mane. "Then I shall cherish him."

She climbed into the saddle, her mount giving a quiet snort at its new rider. Luckily, she didn't seem to be too rusty in riding, nor had she forgotten some of the tips that Link had given her in bonding with Hero. She let Urbosa and Mipha lead, giving Rhoam a gentle pat on his mane as she eased him into a small gait to follow, while Arthur drove the wagon behind her.

The roads were wet, their mounts splashing without care in the puddles and mud as they crossed the threshold of Hateno's front gate. As Arthur said, Link was there, talking to a man wearing an enormous, beetle-shaped bag on his back, with a little flag with his face on it hanging over his head. Zelda stared for a moment or two, wondering how in the world he had the strength to carry that for days on end. Link gave a wave as they approached, handing something to Beedle, a letter by the looks of it. He mounted up on his horse, a chestnut mare with a white mane, falling in alongside the Princess as they continued on their way down into the valley.

"How'd you get on?" Arthur called from the rear.

"Well enough! He said he's going up towards Tarrey Town, so I gave him a letter for Bolson."

"Good! Outta speed things along."

"Bolson...The Carpenter, right?" Zelda asked. He and his crew lived in the odd houses across the bridge from their home, but she'd never met them personally.

"Yeah, they've been out of work for a while now. Thought they'd like to help out with the outpost." Link shrugged with a grin. "Besides, they owe me a favor or two."

"Really? I'd never thought you to be one to ask favors from people."

"I'm not cruel about it, if that's what you're insinuating." He looked down at her horse. "Oh! You've already met Rhoam. He seems to like you."

"Yes, he is quite open to me, unlike Hero was when I first rode him."

Link frowned. "Hero?"

"My first horse from a century ago. Surely you remember?"

"Vaguely..." Link closed his eyes, rubbing his chin as he recalled.

"You gave me some sage advice on how to bond with him, then." She supplied, idly patting Rhoam's mane. "How to soothe him and such, how to understand him. You often practiced it with your own mount."

"That sounds like me, I suppose." He eventually said, mirroring her movement with his mare. "I don't recall the name of my last horse, only that something befell it when we were trying to escape Hyrule Castle."

"Natz, I believe. With a Z, I recall you being quite insistent on that. He and Hero were both struck down by rogue Guardians, so you had to lead me away on foot."

"Hm..." Judging from his expression, he did not recall it, though perhaps that was a good thing. He was dearly attached to that horse.

She nodded to the mare, trying to divert the subject to the present. "What's this one's name?"

It worked, because his lips curved upwards slightly. "Epona."

"The horse of legend?" Her brow shot upwards. "Where in the world did you find her?"

"She found me, actually." Link said. "You see, we were-"

"Hey! We got a problem!"

At Urbosa's call, they looked forward, almost colliding with the stationary Gerudo and her Zora passenger. In the distance, at the base of Dueling Peaks, black smoke billowed high into the sky. It wasn't a campfire, it was too big for that.

"That's a lot of smoke..." Mipha mumbled.

"That's not the stables, is it?" Zelda asked, worried.

"Goddesses, I hope not." Link grit his teeth.

Arthur called from the back. "Regardless, let's pick up the pace, see if anyone needs help!"

With a collective cry, they urged their mounts into a gallop as they passed through Fort Hateno and sped along the grasslands, approaching the stables with haste. They rounded about and followed the road, and soon it came into view; The ordinary, welcoming rest-stop for weary travelers.

Now set ablaze, as they had feared.

* * *

**A/N:**

**Greetings! As you can see, I am not dead!**

**My absence can only be described with two things;  
One, a huge writer's block.  
And Two, a personal project that I am working on pretty much every day.  
Lucky for me, I was able to persevere and get this chapter done, even if it was absolute agony to do so.**

**Thankfully, I've got a good outline for this story and I think I'll be able to finish it. Probably not any time soon, but I will finish it.  
For now, I'm gonna try to return a regular upload schedule, so that's gonna be fun.**

**This is Part 1 of the final chapter of Act I, so that's neat!  
The next Act will be based around the newcomers entering Hyrule post-calamity,  
ranging from the Ordonians, to the Neraphim, to the Marshmen.**

**It's gonna be a doozy!**

**Not much else to say, so thanks  
for reading, and be safe everyone!**

**Peace out!**

* * *

**oXo**


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